The United States Air Force has deployed B-52 bombers to an RAF base in England and is sending F-15 Eagle fighter planes to eastern Europe as the crisis in Ukraine deepens.
Four of the huge bombers are expected at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire today after leaving the Minot Air Base in North Dakota, with the first one landing at around 11.30am.
Meanwhile, F-15 Eagles are flying from RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk to Lask Air Base in Poland to 'bolster readiness and Allied deterrence and defence as Russia continues military build-up in and around Ukraine", the USAF said.
Today, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said situation in Ukraine is at its most dangerous amid fears of a Russian invasion and is not ruling out extra military help for the country, warning a Russian invasion would result in "serious bloodshed".
General Jeff Harrigian, Commander Allied Air Command and Commander U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, said: “The deployment of U.S. F-15s to Poland elevates the collective defence capabilities on NATO’s Eastern flank and the enhanced Air Policing mission.
“The commitment of U.S. aircraft and Airmen demonstrates the solidarity of the Alliance, as we continue to work together in unity to execute our defensive mission.”
Gloucestershire Live reports that the B-52 bombers left their US base at 2am (GMT) and refuelled over Nova Scotia before making their way over the Atlantic.
The USAF has also confirmed the arrival of the B-52 Stratofortress aircraft, support equipment, and personnel from the 5th Bomb Wing.
“With an ever-changing global security environment, it’s critical that our efforts with our allies and partners are unified,” said Gen Harrigian.
“We’re in Europe training and collaborating together, because consistent integration is how we strengthen our collective airpower.”
The UK has already supplied about 2,000 anti-tank missiles to Ukraine and the Prime Minister indicated he could go further.
Asked at the press conference in Brussels if he could authorise military support to an insurgency in Ukraine in the event of an invasion, Mr Johnson said: “We will consider what more we can conceivably offer.
“The Ukrainians are well prepared, there are things we’ve offered that they, in fact, don’t seem to need because they think they have them in enough numbers already.
“It’s possible, I don’t want to rule this out, but at the moment we think the package is the right one.
“But I want to stress it would be an absolute disaster if it was to come to that and if there was to be serious bloodshed on Ukrainian soil.”
He said the intelligence on the prospect of an invasion was “grim” but he did not believe Vladimir Putin had yet decided on whether to act.
This is a developing story and we'll update it as more information comes in
