Bombers Surge in the Pacific: B-52s Arrive in Guam, B-1s in Japan
July 13, 2023 | By Greg Hadley
The U.S. Air Force’s bomber presence in the Indo-Pacific swelled significantly in the past two weeks, as more B-52 Stratofortresses arrived on Guam and B-1 Lancers landed in Japan.
B-52s and Airmen from the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., landed at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, on July 5. They join B-52s from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., that deployed to Guam last month on a Bomber Task Force mission.
“The Bomber Task Force is designed to enhance the high-end readiness of the bomber force while also advancing our interoperability with allies and partners,” said Lt. Col. Jared Patterson, 20th EBS commander, in a statement. “Each mission flown further demonstrates our ability to provide agile combat ready forces and long-range strike capabilities to combatant commanders around the globe.”
Five days later, two B-1s and around 25 Airmen from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, arrived at Misawa Air Base, Japan, on a separate Bomber Task Force rotation.
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/bombers-pacific-b-52s-guam-b-1s-japan/