A US B-2 Spirit bomber executed a precision bombing drill at a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base. This was announced by the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) on its official X account:
“Stealth power in Australia! B-2s dropped inert munitions during long-range bomber operations and bilateral exercises with RAAF fighters, E-7, and tankers demonstrating air power and commitment to the Indo-Pacific.”
According to a previous announcement, the test was conducted on August 28 at RAAF’s base Amberley.
“U.S. Indo-Pacific Command routinely and visibly demonstrates commitment to its Allies and partners through the employment of military forces, demonstrating strategic predictability, while becoming more operationally unpredictable to adversaries. The B-2 conducted a precision bombing exercise in the theater,” the service had said.
A photo was also published showing the B-2 Spirit bomber taking off for the BTF mission. However, the previous announcement did not address the bilateral exercise with the Royal Australian Air Force. The newly published photographs by the PACAF also show the bomber on the runway at nighttime.
The B-2 Spirit is a strategic stealth bomber operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) and extensively used for force projection against US adversaries through regular BTF missions.
Three of these bombers touched down in Australia last month after a gap of nearly two years. They were accompanied by two KC-135R tankers for their BTF deployment. RAAF base Amberley is located close to Brisbane on Australia’s east coast.
Stealth power in Australia! B-2s dropped inert munitions during long-range bomber operations and bilateral exercises with RAAF fighters, E-7 and tankers demonstrating air power and commitment to the Indo-Pacific. #BomberTaskForce #IndoPacific #AirPower #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific pic.twitter.com/luaInCI9Xg
— PACAF (@PACAF) September 4, 2024
According to a statement issued by Pacific Air Forces, the bombers are from the Active-Duty 509th Bomb Wing and Guard 131st Bomb Wing of Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.
While the PACAF stopped short of announcing the duration of their deployment, the BTF missions typically last for two to three weeks.
“This deployment is in support of Pacific Air Forces’ training efforts with allies, partners, and joint forces and strategic deterrence missions to reinforce the rules-based international order,” PACAF said at the time.
The bombers reportedly conducted hot pit refueling at the RAAF base Amberley last month as part of the BTF mission. Hot pitting is the act of having an aircraft land, refuel, and take off without shutting its engines down.
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The B-2 Spirit bomber, which is now 35 years old, continues to be the mainstay of US strategic forces alongside the B-1 and the B-52 bombers. The B-2 bombers are expected to play a major role in any potential conflict in the Indo-Pacific for which they have received significant enhancements.
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The bomber is a formidable deterrent because it combines precision armament, long-range strike, and stealth capabilities. It is the only one of three types of bombers still carrying nuclear gravity bombs and is considered to be the most sophisticated in the US inventory.
The B-2A Spirit stealth bomber, for one, became the first aircraft in the USAF’s inventory to be equipped with the B61-12 nuclear bomb.
In June this year, the B-2 Spirit stealth bombers landed on Guam for the first time since 2019 amid escalating tensions with Beijing. Guam is a frontline US territory in the Pacific which is anticipated to be a launchpad for USAF bombers and fighters in the event of a potential conflict with China.
As earlier explained by EurAsian Times in a detailed article, Australia could also play a crucial role in a potential conflict with China. This makes the deployment of B-2 for a BTF mission to Australia even more significant. However, the USAF maintains that the deployment is merely for deterrence.
The last time these bombers were deployed to Amberley base in 2022, they practiced alongside Australian F-35As and participated in the bilateral “Koolendong 22” exercise.
The United States Air Force asserts that these bomber operations improve the lethality of joint forces and create a deterrent effect against adversaries by showcasing the USAF’s ability to conduct operations globally at any given moment. The presence of US aircraft and bombers in Australia is increasing at an unprecedented rate, driven by the rapidly escalating tensions with China.
The B-2’s BTF deployment to Australia came days after the United States indicated that it was contemplating “more frequent” bomber deployments to Australia amid concerns over China’s “dangerous and escalatory behavior” in the Indo-Pacific region.
In addition to the B-2, plans are also underway to station six B-52s in the Northern Territory in Australia, which is closer to the contentious South China Sea.
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