From Aviation HQ@2:292/854 to All on Tue Feb 24 00:49:27 2026
At least 15 US aerial refueling tankers have been spotted gathering at Lajes Field in the Azores, the Portuguese archipelago 900 miles west of mainland Europe and a critical mid-Atlantic transit hub for US forces moving toward the Middle East.
This massive buildup could support long-range bomber operations as tensions with Iran reach a boiling point.
Lages was also used to stage KC-46 tankers supporting B-2 bomber strikes on Iran's nuclear sites during last June's 'Operation Midnight Hammer.'
Portugal's foreign minister, Paulo Rangel, said today that increased U.S. flight operations at the Lajes air base are allowed under a long-standing bilateral treaty and do not need Lisbon's approval.