U.S. B-52 bombers join expanded Caribbean security push
U.S. Air Forces Southern said that long-range B-52H Stratofortress bombers from Minot Air Force Base carried out a Bomber Attack Demonstration over the Caribbean Sea on November 24, supporting Operation Southern Spear.
According to the service, the mission was part of ongoing efforts to “bring Hemispheric security & stability,” and included integration with U.S. fighter jets and training on rapid mobility.
The operation, led by Air Forces Southern under U.S. Southern Command, forms part of a broader military presence in the region as Washington increases pressure on transnational criminal networks operating near U.S. borders.
The Associated Press reported that Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, began a visit to U.S. troops in Puerto Rico and personnel aboard a Navy warship deployed in the area. AP said that the U.S. has assembled an unusually large formation of warships and aviation units in the Caribbean, including the nation’s most advanced aircraft carrier, as well as ships that have participated in recent interdiction strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats.
AP noted that Caine is accompanied by David L. Isom, the senior enlisted adviser to the chairman. Caine’s office said the two leaders will “engage with service members and thank them for their outstanding support to regional missions.”
This marks Caine’s second trip to the region since the buildup began. He and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth traveled to Puerto Rico earlier in September after ships carrying several hundred U.S. Marines arrived for what officials described as a scheduled training exercise. During that visit, Hegseth said the deployed Marines were “on the front lines of defending the American homeland.”
The B-52H demonstration underscores the U.S. military’s continued effort to maintain long-range strike readiness and joint integration across commands. The aircraft, manufactured by Boeing and operated by the U.S. Air Force, has been a central component of strategic deterrence missions for decades, with the ability to carry large strike payloads and remain airborne for extended periods.
Operation Southern Spear, involving naval, air, and Marine Corps assets, is aimed at narrowing transit routes used by drug-smuggling groups and increasing coordination with regional partners. The participation of B-52H bombers highlights the operation’s long-range strike component and the Air Force’s ability to integrate bomber forces rapidly across different theaters.
In its statement, Air Forces Southern emphasized that the November 24 mission demonstrated U.S. capability to “integrate with fighter jets & train on rapid mobility,” reflecting current Pentagon priorities on speed, joint operations, and regional presence.
