China-US relations: American bomber missions during joint drills in Sea of Japan heighten military tensions
- Pacific Air Forces commander says ability ‘to challenge competitors in a time and place of our choosing’ is a strength
- The US Indo-Pacific Command has held continuous bomber presence missions in the region since 2004
Four B-1 Lancers, two B-2 Spirit Stealth Bombers and four F-15C Eagles were sent, with the Pacific Air Forces saying in a statement on Tuesday (US time) it “routinely conducts Bomber Task Force operations to show the United States’ commitment to allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific area of responsibility”.
The first pair of B-1s flew from Dyess Air Force Base in Texas and another two B-1s took off from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, to the Sea of Japan.
They conducted a 24-hour long joint-force exercise, beginning on Monday, with four F-15C Eagles from Kadena Air Base, Japan, the US Navy’s USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group, F-35 Lightning IIs assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, and F-15J aircraft from Japan’s Air Self-Defence Force.
“Our unique strength as an air force is our ability to generate integrated actions with our joint teammates and allies and partners to challenge competitors in a time and place of our choosing,” said General Ken Wilsbach, Pacific Air Forces commander.