HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii -- Two B-52 Stratofortress bombers from Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, arrived at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Dec. 18, 2022 in support of a three day bomber task force (BTF) mission to the USINDOPACOM area of responsibility before returning home to Barksdale AFB. The mission highlights the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Strategic Command’s ability to strengthen extended deterrence capabilities throughout the Indo-Pacific region.
Pacific Air Forces and supporting units embrace the unique challenge of ever evolving BTF missions, as they demonstrate the credibility of U.S. forces to address a complex and uncertain security environment.
B-52 aircrews integrated with U.S. Air Force F-22s rotationally based in the region, as well as U.S. Air Force mobility aircraft including KC-46 tankers from McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, and a C-17 Globemaster III from Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina.
The B-52 integrated with Allies in the region. The B-52s signified the United States’ ability to project nuclear-capable bombers across the globe to integrate with Allies and partners and provide extended deterrence options against aggression in the region.
This was also first integrated, long endurance flight as part of a Bomber Task Force mission for the Air Mobility Command’s newly fielded KC-46A Pegasus aircraft, which flew over 42 total hours in support of this mission.
The Pacific Air Forces, Air Mobility Command and Air Force Global Strike Command routinely partner together to conduct operations in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command are of responsibility. This mission is representative of not only our capability to integrate various capabilities across the U.S. Air Force but the U.S. commitment to our partners to maintain regional security and stability while enabling units to become familiar with operations in different regions.