U.S. Air Force B-52s help forge key Indo-Pacific partnerships
U.S. Pacific Air Forces
The United States Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) conducted more than 30 sorties during a recent Bomber Task Force deployment to the Indo-Pacific.
More than 215 Airmen from PACAF’s area of responsibility and four B-52H Stratofortress aircraft from Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, conducted the first trilateral integration with Japanese and Republic of Korea (ROK) forces.
VIDEO CREDIT: 2ND LT. JONATHAN VILLEGAS/U.S. AIR FORCE
“This aerial exercise builds on the continued interoperability of our collective forces and demonstrates the strength of the trilateral relationship with our Japan and Republic of Korea allies,” U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement.
A U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber and three F-16 fighters flew with two F-15K fighters from the ROK Air Force and four F-2 fighters from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) during the exercise, which took place near the southern Korean Peninsula, where the air defense identification zones of South Korea and Japan overlap, according to the ROK Air Force.
The Stratofortress, the U.S. Air Force’s leading standoff cruise missile carrier, can carry long-range nuclear or precision-guided conventional ordnance.
The exercise followed the August 2023 summit at Camp David, Maryland, where Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden announced plans for annual “multidomain trilateral exercises.”
Historically, the U.S. Air Force has conducted annual bilateral exercises with Japan and the ROK. In mid-October 2023, the JASDF and PACAF conducted a drill with two U.S. B-52s and fighter jets from both nations.
Also in October, a U.S. B-52 conducted flyovers at the 2023 Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition and was the first such aircraft to land in South Korea in three decades. The air power demonstration marked the 70th anniversary of the ROK-U.S. Alliance. Other PACAF aircraft at the event included the F-22 Raptor and F-16 Fighting Falcon.
In addition to forging critical partnerships in the Indo-Pacific, the Bomber Task Force deployment in October and November showcased PACAF’s ability to deter, deny and dominate any aggression or attempts to influence by adversaries. Activities enhanced collaboration between the Air Force and Navy, with an emphasis on maritime warfare.
The U.S. Air Force’s 96th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, which comprises the task force, operated out of Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, during the deployment.
