Amid US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s warning of ‘the most intense day of strikes against Iran’, three B1-B bombers reportedly took off from Fairford base in the UK. The Rockwell B-1B Lancer has the highest conventional payload capacity in the US Air Force and can carry approximately 34,000 kg of weapons.
As many as five B-1B Lancer bombers had arrived at the Air Force Fairford, United Kingdom, over the weekend. As per reports, three other bombers had been diverted to Ramstein Air Force Base, Germany, due to inclement weather.
The US military personnel and ground crew were also spotted preparing explosive ordnance at an airbase in Gloucestershire, hinting that the bombers are currently on their way to Iran to strike deep, either the missile cities or nuclear facilities. This comes as Hegseth warned on Monday of the "most intense" day of US strikes on Iran with the "most fighters, the most bombers, the most strikes".
The B-1B Lancers are a formidable weapon and the fastest bombers. It can carry around 38,328-kg Mk-82 or 10,9769-pound Mk-84 general purchase bombs, besides the 10, 9769-kg GBU-31 missiles. Nicknamed "the Bone", the B-1B has advanced radar and GPS systems which helps hit targets and electronic jammers, radar warnings and a decoy system to protect it from enemies.
❗️🇺🇲⚔️🇮🇷 - Three B1 bombers took off from Fairford base in the UK for an attack in Iran.
— 🔥🗞The Informant (@theinformant_x) March 10, 2026
At this base, as you may recall, three B-52 bombers landed yesterday, after the long-awaited approval was received from the British government to allow the US to use this base for an attack… pic.twitter.com/FcL9Xxzw00
The expectation is that the bombers would breach Iranian airspace to completely flatten their missile capabilities. The bombers had done this earlier this month and returned to their base safely. The operation appears to be a great success and demonstrates the US's ability to carry out precision strikes deep inside enemy territory
The fact that the UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, permitted the UK’s bases in its joint offensive with Israel against Iran, despite initial refusal, has shortened the flight path for the bombers, which initially flew in from a US base in Virginia. The UK’s decision also eliminates the need for the “CONUS-to-CONUS” missions of the war’s early days. Now that the bombers have been forward deployed to England and/or another UK base, such as Diego Garcia, it means the sortie rates will drastically increase and decrease wear-and-tear on the bomber fleet compared to flying from the U.S. and back.
According to sources, 11 American B1-B bombers and three B-52 bombers are at Fairford Air Base, which means that a quarter of the US B1-B bombers are currently at this British base. The B1-B bombers have the largest payload capacity of all American bombers—about 34 tons.
