On Nov. 17 the Russian Air Force Strategic Bomber fleet started pounding Islamic State and anti-regime rebel forces in Syria.
On Nov. 20, two Blackjack strategic bombers carried out a 13,000 km round trip war mission, taking off from a base in the Kola Peninsula. The two planes flew just off of Norway and the United Kingdom, flew around western Europe, entered the Mediterranean Sea over Gibraltar. After meeting with Su-30SMs that took off from Latakia, the planes launched ALCMs (Air Launched Cruise Missiles) against targets in Syria. They entered Syrian airspace and then returned home via the eastern corridor, flying over Iraq, Iran, and then the Caspian Sea.
Two Il-78M tankers were also part of the mission supporting the strike force, refueling the Tu-160s on their way back home.
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