US Air Force’s bomber, the B-1B, B-52 and B-2 Spirit at Andersen AFB in Guam. A strategy to pressure China and North Korea. Placing the entire bomber in one place at one time is not usually. It is hinted as a show of force.
Three B-2 Spirits deployed with several B-1B is unspecified. On August 9, three B-2 of the 509th Bomb Wing landed at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, to conduct operations in the theater Indo-Asia-Pacific region, where China did increase its activity in the East and South China Sea.
Stealth bomber from Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, according to Command Pacific deployed with so-called “short term delivery” in which they would exercise “surprise attack local and regional, and will integrate capabilities with key regional partners, ensuring bomber crew maintain readiness and the ability of the crew. ”
The last time B-2 deployed there in March this year when three B-2 stealth bomber from the 509th Bomb Wing, flew to Guam amid rising tensions with North Korea.
B-2 itself arrived first on August 6 and became the first deployment of B-1 to this region after a decade.
“Andersen welcomed the squadron of B-1, and we look forward to working together to provide safety and security to the region for our partners and our allies,” said Brig. Gen. Douglas Cox, commander of 36 Wing in the Air Force release.
“B-52 did an amazing job last few years, and we know B-1 will continue our advantage.”
Each bomber brings a different mix of capabilities to the region. The B-1’s arrival packs with it the USAF’s heaviest-hitting conventional strike capability and considerable speed. The B-2, well, it can do what no other aircraft can—fly thousands of miles into enemy territory unrefueled and undetected and unleash a massive conventional (up to 80 independently targeted 500lb GBU-38 bombs) or nuclear payload. The B-52, like the B-1, also has the ability to drop laser-guided bombs and target them via their Sniper
targeting pod. The venerable bomber also employs a host of other smart and dumb conventional munitions, and packs a big nuclear strike capability as well.
B-2s are regular visitors to Guam, as they have shared in the Continuous Bomber Presence mission with their B-52 stable-mates over the last decade – although they usually don’t show up unexpectedly like the B-2s did yesterday. Both communities have lost aircraft while fulfilling the mission, with a B-52 crashing at Andersen AFB just last spring. This is the first time the B-1 has taken up the mission and the first time it has deployed to Guam in over a decade.
Having the USAF’s bombers forward deployed together in one place, at one time, is quite the show of force. Something these aircraft are used for in the region from time-to-time. It also may result in some incredible aerial photos.
The USAF states that the B-2s deployment to Guam will be limited in nature. That doesn’t mean they won’t show up along North Korea’s border or the over the South China Sea before heading back to their base in Missouri.
