A pair of B-2 bombers touched down at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska yesterday, and more may now be headed in the same direction. Elmendorf is the base that will host a summit today between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. While it is unclear if any of this is directly related, the presence of the B-2s still offers an opportunity to send a strategic reminder to the highest rung of the Russian government.
Online flight tracking data, publicly available air traffic control audio recordings, and views from the ground of the bombers on approach all confirm the arrival of the B-2s at Elmendorf on August 14. The base, which is now technically part of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER), is located in southeastern Alaska in Anchorage. It is home to the U.S. Air Force’s active-duty 3rd Wing, with its F-22 Raptor stealth fighters, E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning Control System (AWACS) radar planes, C-17 Globemaster III airlifters, and C-12 light utility aircraft. It also hosts additional C-17s, as well as HC-130 Combat King rescue aircraft and HH-60 Pave Hawk rescue helicopters, assigned to the Alaska Air National Guard’s 176th Wing. Other U.S. military aircraft, including Air Force RC-135V/W Rivet Joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance jets, are regular visitors, too.
Additional online flight tracking data and air traffic control audio regarding two aircraft with “Death” callsigns, regularly used by B-2s, raise the possibility that more of the bombers may be bound for Elmendorf, or elsewhere in or around Alaska.
The Air Force has just 19 B-2 bombers in total, all of which are based at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. As such, the two bombers that flew to Elmendorf represent roughly 10 percent of the entire fleet. Some number of B-2s are also down for maintenance at any one time and are not available for taskings.
When reached for comment about why the B-2s flew to Elmendorf, U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) redirected TWZ to the White House. We have also reached out to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), and Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) for more information.
The B-2s could very well be in Alaska for Exercise Northern Edge 2025. The JBER website says the exercise began yesterday and is set to run through August 29. Other sources say the event will formally kick off on Sunday.
The “exercise provides an opportunity for joint and multi-domain operations designed to offer high-end, realistic war-fighter training, develop and improve joint interoperability, and enhance the combat readiness of participating forces,” according to an Air Force press release put out last week. “NE25 demonstrates the U.S. commitment to the region by building interoperability, advancing common interests and a commitment to our allies and partners in ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific. This year’s exercise additionally showcases U.S. ability to defend the homeland from and throughout Alaska.”
“Operating locations include Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Eielson Air Force Base, Allen Army Airfield, King Salmon, Cold Bay, Fairbanks International Airport, Ted Stevens International Airport, Juneau International Airport, Alaska; and Fairchild AFB and Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washington,” the release added. “The training will take place in and over the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex, Gulf of Alaska, and the Aleutian Islands.”
Northern Edge exercises, which occur every two years, are large-scale events routinely used to test and evaluate new systems and capabilities from across the U.S. military. Advanced networking and communications concepts are often a particular area of focus.
B-2s have taken part in past Northern Edge exercises, and their participation in this year’s iteration would be unsurprising. Though the B-2 fleet is small, it remains a vital ‘silver bullet’ capability for the United States both in terms of nuclear deterrence and conventional power projection. This was on full display when B-2s struck Iranian nuclear facilities with 30,000-pound-class GBU-57/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker buster bombs, America’s heaviest conventional air-dropped munition that only these bombers are certified to employ operationally, during Operation Midnight Hammer back in June.
With all this in mind, B-2s, which were designed at the tail end of the Cold War with nuclear strikes on the Soviet Union in mind, are often used for strategic signalling to America’s opponents. As such, even if the B-2s are at Elmendorf for Northern Edge 2025, it is hard not to see their presence as at least a ‘happy coincidence’ intended to send a message and otherwise be a show of strength aimed at Putin and the rest of the Russian government.
It is also worth noting that the base’s F-22s are America’s premier fighters, and are unmatched by anything in Russia’s inventory.
Trump has repeatedly shown a willingness to work with Putin to bring an end to the ongoing war in Ukraine, as well as tackle other issues, but also openly expressed exasperation in recent months with Russian authorities. On August 1, Trump notably declared in a post on his Truth Social social media network that he had “ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions” in response to fiery remarks alluding to nuclear war from former Russian President and current Deputy Chair of the country’s Security Council Dmitry Medvedev. While Trump did not specify what kinds of submarines he was talking about, U.S. Navy Ohio class nuclear-powered ballistic and guided missile boats are a tool the U.S. government often uses for strategic messaging purposes.
Just on Wednesday, Trump also threatened unspecified “very severe consequences” if Putin does not agree to bring the war in Ukraine to an end at today’s summit. The U.S. president has also downplayed the significance of the meeting, saying he is already looking ahead to a sit-down involving him, Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and potentially leaders from Europe.
Whatever the case, when Putin arrives at Elmendorf today – expected to occur imminently – B-2 bombers will be at the base sending a signal, whether it is explicit or not.
Update, 3:55 PM Eastern:
As it has turned out, the arrival of the B-2s at Elmendorf was linked to Trump’s summit with Putin. One of the bombers, flanked by four F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, flew over the base as the two leaders greeted each other on the tarmac.
F-35s were also spotted flying overhead as Trump and Putin arrived at Elmendorf in their respective presidential aircraft, and may have escorted them to the base. Unsurprisingly, there has been a flurry of other U.S. military air activity over and around Alaska today, around the summit.
On the ground, additional F-22s were also very prominently arrayed around the red carpets laid out for Putin and Trump.
Update, 4:45 PM Eastern:
Additional video has now emerged that shows the motorcade carrying Trump and Putin from the tarmac at Elmendorf passing by another B-2 bomber parked on the ground.
Update, 5:20 PM Eastern:
There are two B-2s currently at JBER, a U.S. official has now confirmed to TWZ.
“One was there to participate in flyover today the other is there as a static on the flightline,” they said. “Both are there directly in support of the visit.”
The B-2s are not part of Exercise Northern Edge 2025, a second U.S. official told us.
Readers can find our separate ongoing coverage of the Trump-Putin summit here.
Contact the author: joe@twz.com
