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| B-1, B-2 and B-52 Bombers All Descend on Guam in a Massive Show of Force |
| 2016-08-15 |
| [The National Interest] Talk about unusual. On Aug. 10, the U.S. Air Force announced it had sent its B-2 Spirit stealth bombers to join older, non-stealthy B-52 Stratofortresses and B-1 Lancers on Guam. It’s an extraordinary show of force in the Pacific region, because for the first time ever, America has based all three heavy bomber types on the island at once. Deborah Lee James, the Air Force secretary, described the deployments as providing a "valuable opportunity for our bomber crews to integrate and train together, as well as with our allies and partners through the region in a variety of missions." But James did not elaborate on just how unusual the arrangement actually is, nor did she expand on any deeper possible reasons for basing Spirits, Lancers and Stratofortresses at the same base at same time -- all within striking distance of China and North Korea. To be sure, the Pentagon regularly deploys far-reaching bombers to Andersen Air Force Base. However, North Korean nuclear and missile tests, Beijing’s expansionism in the South China Sea and the U.S. Air Force’s own plans to buy new, long-range weapons have given new weight to these deployments. The latest deployment began on Aug. 6 when a group of B-1s arrived at Guam to take over from the B-52s. These aircraft were part of what the Pentagon calls the "Continuous Bomber Presence" mission, or CBP. The B-52s will head back to the continental United States at the end of August. On Aug. 10, the B-2s landed for a separate but similar "bomber assurance and deterrence deployment," or BAAD. We don’t know when the stealth bombers and their crews will return home to their base in Missouri. Each bomber is considerably different from each other. The sleek B-1 can fly faster than the speed of sound while lugging nearly 40 tons of bombs in three internal weapons bays. The jet has a maximum range of nearly 6,000 miles. The massive B-52 Stratofortress, however, flies much slower with a slightly smaller bomb load, but can travel almost 3,000 miles farther before needing to land. The B-2 Spirit holds much less ordnance, but the unique flying wing shape and other stealth features makes it virtually invisible to enemy radar. |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #5 Something about pulling all the aircraft into Hickam Field for 'security' comes to mind. And all the battleships into Pearl Harbor. |
| Posted by: Abu Uluque 2016-08-15 11:26 |
| #4 More saber-rattling and red lines? |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2016-08-15 10:15 |
| #3 I love an airshow. |
| Posted by: Vast Right Wing Conspiracy 2016-08-15 10:15 |
| #2 Something about pulling all the aircraft into Hickam Field for 'security' comes to mind. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2016-08-15 07:39 |
| #1 DON'T tip it over! |
| Posted by: Frank G on the road 2016-08-15 00:07 |