JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- Two U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress bombers, assigned to the 96th Expeditionary Bomber Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, participated in a routine bilateral training mission July 26, 2018.

The bombers took off from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, and integrated with six Koku Jieitai (Japan Air Self-Defense Force) F-15 fighters in the vicinity of Japan.

Bilateral training missions such as this allow the two countries to improve upon combined capabilities, tactical skills, and relationships.

On conclusion of the bilateral training, the B-52Hs conducted training with the U.S. Navy in the vicinity of Okinawa, Japan before returning to Guam.

U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s Continuous Bomber Presence (CBP) operations have been ongoing since March 2004; this recent mission is consistent with international law and United States’ long-standing and well-known freedom of navigation policies.

CBP operations are intended to maintain the readiness of U.S. forces and are a key component to improving combined and joint service interoperability.