B-52 Strategy in Operation Epic Fury: JASSM-ER Missiles and Britain's Role

Following the first wave of night-time strikes by the stealth bomber B-2 Spirit that hit underground Iranian infrastructure with 2,000-pound bombs, the focus now shifts to another air giant: the B-52 Stratofortress. Although by the third day of Operation Epic Fury there had been no official confirmation of the B-52’s involvement in the strike mission, defence analysts, including former U.S. Army Infantry officer Dr. Brent M. Eastwood, assessed that the deployment of the Flying Fortress was merely a matter of time. The B-52’s main weakness is its lack of stealth technology. However, the Pentagon has a card up its sleeve to mitigate this risk through the use of long-range cruise missiles, specifically the JASSM-ER. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has given the green light for the United States military to use British air bases for this operation. This support shortens the logistics tail for the heavy bombers, normally based at Barksdale (Louisiana) and Minot (North Dakota). “We have decided to accept this request to prevent Iran from firing missiles across the region that jeopardise the lives of civilians and British personnel,” Starmer said in a formal statement on 1 March 2026. Israel has also claimed air superiority since 1 March after destroying Iran’s missile launch sites and control centres. This success paves the way for the B-52 to enter Iranian airspace in the coming days. The deployment of the B-52 in Operation Epic Fury is predicted to be the final phase in permanently disabling Iran’s ballistic missile production capacity. With the capability to carry nuclear payloads (even if not to be used), the B-52’s presence in the Middle East skies is a symbol of an unmatched strike power. The world now awaits when this Flying Fortress will appear in a strike package to truly end the threat posed by missiles from Tehran. (National Security Journal/I-2)