The U.S. military has sent supersonic bombers to the coast of Venezuela, just over a week after another group of planes flew a similar flight as part of a simulated air strike exercise, the Associated Press reported.
The United States has massed a large military presence in the Caribbean Sea and waters near Venezuela, raising speculation that President Donald Trump may seek to oust the country’s leader, Nicolas Maduro, whom he has accused of “narcoterrorism.” These assumptions have intensified after the US military began striking ships in Venezuelan waters in early September that Trump said were involved in drug trafficking.
According to flight tracking data, on October 23, two B-1 Lancer bombers took off from Dice Air Force Base in Texas and flew over the Caribbean Sea towards the coast of Venezuela.
Last week, a similar flight of slower B-52 Stratofortress bombers, joined by F-35B fighter jets, took place in the region. The Pentagon described these maneuvers as a “demonstration of a bombing attack,” which is confirmed by photos published on the Internet.
The B-1 Lancer is a supersonic strategic bomber of the US Air Force, created by Rockwell (now Boeing). Thanks to its variable wing geometry, it can operate effectively at both high and low altitudes. The aircraft’s maximum speed exceeds 1,300 km/h, and its flight range reaches about 12,000 kilometers without refueling.
The B-1 is capable of carrying up to 34 tons of ammunition, including nuclear and high-precision conventional bombs. It has been actively used in US military operations since the late 1980s and remains a key element of the country’s strategic aviation.
