(11 Oct 1998) English/Nat
The first of seven B-52 bombers capable of carrying cruise missiles have landed at a British air base to prepare for possible NATO air strikes against Yugoslavia.
The B-52s are among 260 U-S aircraft, mostly already in Europe, poised to take part in strikes which NATO plans to authorise on Monday.
Military intervention is set to go ahead - unless there is a last-minute deal with Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic over the ethnic Albanian majority in Kosovo.
Showing President Milosevic it means business if talks fail, Washington ordered the deployment of six B-52 bombers, one reconnaissance aircraft and 13 tankers to Britain.
The bombers flew in to Fairford, a Royal Air Force base in Gloucestershire, 75 miles (120 k-ms) west of London.
They are being deployed as part of around 260 aircraft that the U-S have committed to support any air operations by NATO.
U-S Colonel Wendell Griffin said their presence was a clear signal that NATO is serious.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I think the B-52's will be a very big player and anything that we undertake, that NATO decides to do, I think just by the virtue of being here, we send a very powerful signal that NATO means business."
SUPER CAPTION: Colonel Wendell Griffin, U-S-AF
Each B-52 can carry up to 20 air-launched cruise missiles.
The aircraft were ready should they be called on over the Kosovo crisis.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Now we're loaded out with conventional air-launch cruise missiles and the B-52 has the capability to carry about twenty of those. We can carry eight internal and six under each wing and we're loaded out internally - ready to go."
SUPER CAPTION: Colonel Wendell Griffin, U-S-A-F
U-S envoy Richard Holbrooke has insisted nothing has changed in efforts to convince
Yugoslavia to accept international demands for peace in Kosovo.
But the Yugoslav government is insisting it has met terms to avoid NATO airstrikes.
NATO will meet on Monday to authorise action unless Holbrooke achieves a breakthrough.
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