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Bombers demonstrate dynamic capabilities with USS Ronald Reagan

FORUM Staff

A B-1B Lancer bomber, pictured, took off from the continental United States on November 12, 2020, to conduct training with other aircraft and the USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group.

The display of capabilities included aircraft from across the Indo-Pacific as well as U.S. bombers. The training involved two other B-1s currently part of a bomber task force at Guam, two F-22 fighter aircraft in the area for training from Langley, Virginia, and U.S. Navy aircraft of the Reagan Strike Group. The operations initiated when the Lancer departed Ellsworth, South Dakota, on November 12 and continued into the next day when the bomber team linked up with Navy aircraft and ships and U.S. Air Force aircraft. Events concluded with the Lancer flying south for additional training prior to returning to Ellsworth more than 23 hours after takeoff.

The operations with the USS Ronald Reagan met several objectives to demonstrate continued commitment to allies and partners in the region. The training included a sequence of events designed to ensure readiness and synchronization of timing and tempo with all Air Force and Navy capabilities involved. Such an integration requires capable leaders and personnel at all levels. “We have unbelievably talented and skilled Airmen in our force here in the Pacific who are capable of accomplishing the mission,” U.S. Air Force Maj. Preston Kahikina said.

Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach, Pacific Air Forces commander, emphasized the value of joint training across multiple capabilities. “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,” he said. “These simultaneous airpower missions demonstrated our capacity and readiness to deliver a wide range of proactive, scalable options to quickly deploy our forces to support our mission to ensure a Free and Open Indo-Pacific theater.”

The integration of aircraft and ships from multiple locations is the latest demonstration of the dynamic force employment concept, which is designed to support the U.S. National Defense Strategy by ensuring strategic predictability while maintaining operational unpredictability.

U.S. Navy leaders also promote the ability to synchronize in an unpredictable way. “Exercises like this demonstrate and strengthen our ability to concentrate and integrate capabilities of our joint forces in response to maritime challenges and contingencies,” said U.S. Navy Cmdr. Joshua Fagan, Carrier Strike Group 5 air operations officer.

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