US airstrikes, surveillance in Afghanistan may continue from afar after drawdown 2 days ago A B-52H Stratofortress taxis on the flight line April 23 at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. The B-52 aircraft are deployed to Al Udeid to protect U.S. and coalition forces as they conduct drawdown operations in Afghanistan. (Staff Sgt. Greg Erwin/Air Force) The U.S. military is mulling how to position its aircraft throughout the Middle East and Asia to continue airstrikes and intelligence-gathering missions in Afghanistan, as American forces prepare to leave key installations like Bagram Air Base behind, the head of U.S. Central Command said this week.