JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- Three B-2 Spirits deployed from Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, in the U.S. Pacific Command area of operations Aug. 9.
U.S. Strategic Command bombers regularly rotate through the Indo-Asia-Pacific to conduct USPACOM-led air operations, providing leaders with deterrent options to maintain regional stability. During this short-term deployment, the B-2s will conduct local and regional training sorties, and will integrate capabilities with key regional partners, ensuring bomber crews maintain a high state of readiness and crew proficiency.
“Our strategic bomber force routinely operates around the globe and with our regional allies and partners, and this deployment is one such demonstration of the U.S. commitment to supporting global and regional security,” said U.S. Navy Adm. Cecil D. Haney, U.S. Strategic Command commander. “Bomber training missions ensure crews maintain a high state of readiness and proficiency and demonstrate our ability to provide an always-ready global strike capability, whenever and wherever we are called to do so.”
“Bomber aircraft provide the USPACOM area of responsibility with an effective deterrent capability, ensuring the regional security and stability of the U.S. and our allies and partners,” said U.S. Air Force Gen. Terrence O’Shaughnessy, Pacific Air Forces commander. “These bomber deployments visibly demonstrate our readiness and commitment to the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.”
U.S. Strategic Command routinely demonstrates its capability to command, control and conduct global bomber missions, most recently by deploying B-52s to Royal Air Force Fairford, United Kingdom, in May and June, where the bombers participated in U.S. European Command Exercises BALTOPS and SABER STRIKE. Additionally, earlier this month, B-52s and B-2s from all three of the U.S.’s strategic bomber bases completed an operation coined “POLAR ROAR,” where the bombers flew simultaneous flights to the Arctic, the Baltic Sea and Alaska. B-2s last deployed to the Indo-Asia-Pacific region in March.
One of nine DoD unified combatant commands, USSTRATCOM is charged with strategic deterrence; space operations; cyberspace operations; joint electronic warfare; global strike; missile defense; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; combating weapons of mass destruction; and analysis and targeting.