In response to mounting security threats, the United States has unleashed its bombers to project force and deter its adversaries: the B-1B Lancer was deployed to fly a mission following a missile test conducted by North Korea, whereas the B-52 has been dispatched to the Middle East to deter Iran.
The United States flew its long-range B-1B bomber in a trilateral exercise with South Korea and Japan on November 3, days after North Korea test-fired the Hwasong-19 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which could target the U.S. mainland. The bomber trained alongside South Korean and Japanese fighter jets close to the Korean Peninsula.
“Two U.S. F-16s from the 36th Fighter Squadron, 51st Fighter Wing flew with four Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-2s from the 8th Air Wing and four Republic of Korea Air Force F-15Ks from the 11th Fighter Wing to escort one U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer,” said an official statement released by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM).
According to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the U.S. bomber was escorted by South Korean, American, and Japanese fighter jets during the exercises over waters where South Korean and Japanese air defense identification zones overlap.
Initially, the JCS claimed that the exercises showed the bomber’s “overwhelming” ability to hit a simulated target. However, it later stressed that the training was not a live-fire simulation, as reported by the South Korean Yonhap News Agency. This was the second trilateral aerial drill conducted by these three allies.
According to the JCS, the drills demonstrated the three nations’ will and readiness to oppose North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs. “This exercise took place in response to North Korea’s launch of an ICBM on October 31,” it said. “Amid gradually increasing security cooperation between the three countries, (we) will strengthen coordination to deter and jointly respond to North Korea’s threats.”
The Hwasong-19 test was North Korea’s first such test in over a year. The South Korean Defense Ministry said that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was present at the launch site and gave the order for the missile test. He later described the launch as “an appropriate military action” to demonstrate Pyongyang’s determination to counter actions by its adversaries that pose a threat to his country’s security.
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On its part, the U.S. frequently deploys some of its most sophisticated military weapons, including long-range bombers, aircraft carriers, and nuclear-powered submarines, to and around the Korean Peninsula in response to what it perceives as North Korean threats.
The U.S. has reportedly flown the B-1B bomber, which can carry a massive payload, over or near the Korean Peninsula four times this year. For instance, at least one of these bombers was deployed for a joint bombing drill conducted in June this year.
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More recently, two B-1 Lancers from Dyess Air Force Base in Texas led a mock close air support exercise with South Korean fighters last month. The goal of these drills was to maintain “defensive readiness” for both states. The long-range bombers flew to Korea and back to Texas for the one-day training event on October 1.
Typically, U.S. bomber missions are meant to showcase the U.S.’s capability to deploy lethal forces globally and deter adversaries. As experts have surmised, the U.S. wants its adversaries to know that the USAF’s nuclear-capable stealth bombers can be quickly mobilized and launch strikes against an enemy in case of a potential conflict.
B-52 Bombers Have Touched Down In Middle East
The U.S. military announced on November 3 that U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bombers arrived in the Middle East to deter Iran and its allies. This is the first time since 2019 that the nuclear-capable B-52s have been deployed to a base in the conflict-torn region.
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Some unknown U.S. officials reportedly told the Air and Space Forces magazine that the U.S. has deployed six B-52s in total, along with an extra squadron of F-15E Strike Eagles and more aerial refueling tankers to assist those aircraft, amid the threat of an impending Iranian attack. The sources also stated that the new airpower was intended to compensate for the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group’s impending departure.
The B-52s dispatched to the Middle East reportedly belong to the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Base, N.D. While these sources stopped short of disclosing where the bombers would be stationed in the region, the report noted that in recent days, cargo planes from Minot have reached Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base.
The U.S. has more than six fully operational air bases in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates capable of hosting the B-52 bombers. However, EurAsian Times could not determine the exact location of these bombers in the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility.
Known as the “Big Ugly Fat Fella,” the B-52 bomber can launch various weapons and fly long distances. Moreover, these are some of the USAF’s oldest and largest active-duty combat aircraft.
Currently, the B-52 configuration includes the internal carriage of eight missiles and an additional twelve missiles on external underwing pylons, each capable of accommodating six missiles.
The USAF said in a statement that the B-52 can fly at “high subsonic speeds” and can carry “nuclear or precision guided conventional ordnance with worldwide precision navigation capability.” It further added, “In a conventional conflict, the B-52 can perform strategic attack, close-air support, air interdiction, offensive counter-air and maritime operations.”
The deployment is significant as it comes days after the USAF deployed another bomber—the B-2A Spirit—to strike underground targets belonging to the Iranian proxy militia group Houthis in Yemen.
Notably, the B-2 was deployed for a bombing mission after more than seven years. This has essentially given the impression that the B-52s could also be used against any country that targets U.S. troops or assets in the region.
“Should Iran, its partners, or its proxies use this moment to target American personnel or interests in the region, the United States will take every measure necessary to defend our people,” a Pentagon spokesperson reportedly told the media.
Besides deterring North Korea and Iran, the U.S. bombers were also deployed for force projection against its primary adversary—China.
B-2 Deployed To Guam
In June this year, the B-2 bombers landed in Guam for the first time in five years after participating in the large-scale joint exercise Valiant Shield 2024 around Guam, Palau, and the Northern Mariana Islands. The bombers belonged to the Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri and exercised alongside F-22 Raptors and Marine Corps F-35Bs.
It was a landmark event since the last known B-2 landing in Guam was in 2019 when it was for refueling during a Bomber Task Force mission.
Guam is an overseas American territory in the Pacific that could be used as a launching pad for operations against China in case of hostilities. This is why Anderson AFB in Guam is being rapidly militarized and its defenses augmented.
The B-52H bombers were also deployed to Guam in March 2024 to conduct a live-fire test of the AGM-183 Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) hypersonic weapon. The testing location of the ARRW generated a frenzy among military watchers as it was the first instance of a U.S. hypersonic weapon being observed in Guam, in such proximity to China.
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