File image.
American B-52 Stratofortress strategic bombers are now launching from Royal Air Force Station Fairford in the United Kingdom to attack targets in Iran with GBU-31 JDAM bombs.
Aviation photographer Lee Hathaway shared on March 23 photos of two B-52H bombers departing Fairford a day earlier with the external pylons fully loaded with bombs. Each of the bombers carried at least 12 GBU-21s on the pylons under its wings.
B-52’s departing RAF Fairford early yesterday afternoon. They have recently landed at Fairford. pic.twitter.com/0SWd2u593m
— Lee Hathaway (@LHA2709) March 23, 2026
The B-52H can carry up to 32,000 kg of weapons and has a typical combat range of around 14,200 kilometers without aerial refueling.
Previously during the war on Iran, the bombers were spotted carrying only AGM-158 JASSM stand-off, land-attack cruise missiles. This was seen as an indication that the U.S. and Israel have not yet established aerial dominance over the Islamic Republic.
The GBU-31 combines a 910 kg bomb with a JDAM tail kit. Using a GPS-aided inertial navigation system, it offers all-weather, high-accuracy targeting with a range up to 24 kilometers.
The bombs loaded on the B-52H spotting took off from Fairford were the GBU-31(V)3, which is based on the BLU-109/B bunker buster.
The BLU-109/B has a steel casing about 25 mm thick. Its warhead is filled with 250 kg of tritonal explosives. It is also equipped with a mechanical-electrical delayed-action FMU-143 tail-fuse. The bomb is intended to penetrate concrete shelters and other hardened structures before exploding.
While the bombers were spotted carrying only 12 such bombs each on their external pylons, the B-52H could carry more in its internal pay.
During a press briefing in the Pentagon on March 19, U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, mentioned that bomber operations against Iran were moving to stand-in rather than stand-off strikes. However, until the latest photos came out, only B-1B Lancer strategic bombers were spotted being loaded with JDAMs.
Currently, at least 18 American bombers, including six B-52Hs and 12 B-1B, are reported to be situated at Fairford in the UK.
The U.S. decision to use bombers to launch stand-in attacks against targets in Iran reflects high confidence in aerial dominance over the Islamic Republic. This is surprising considering that Iranian air defenses became more active in recent days, even hitting an American F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jet.
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can’t wait to see one shot down.
how about 3 at the exact same time, like those f-15s?