Latest news with #B-52H
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
These Air Force fighters and bombers just flew together for the first time
Attendees at a recent Miami airshow witnessed an unprecedented 'Freedom Flyover' of three types of Air Force bombers and four types of fighters that had never been seen flying together before, said Charles Hoffman, a spokesman for Air Force Global Strike Command. 'It's not just about fighters and bombers,' Hoffman told Task & Purpose. 'It's about an integrated team of professionals coming together across the total force to illustrate the readiness and resolve of the active duty, Guard and Reserve force any time…anywhere.' The 2025 Hyundai Air & Sea Show on Saturday marked the first time that a B-52H, B-1B, B-2, F-22. F-15C, F-16C, and A-10 have flown in a formation, Hoffman said. 'We have done a few tri-bomber flyovers, and the command wanted to do something special and unique to honor the fallen for Memorial Day at the Miami Air Show,' Hoffman said. The reason that an F-35A Joint Strike Fighter was not part of the formation is that none were available at the time, Hoffman said. Each of the aircraft showcased different capabilities that the Air Force brings to the fight, Hoffman said. The B-2 is designed to penetrate advanced enemy air defenses, and both the B-52 and B-1 are able to attack targets from a distance with standoff weapons, he said. 'The fighters represent the ability to get global strike to and from anywhere … anytime and maintain air superiority and persistent tactical ground attack,' Hoffman said. The airmen had to show tremendous skill to fly the seven aircraft in a single formation, especially since the fighters are designed to fly much faster than the bombers, he said. The display of airpower comes after a recent 'elephant walk' of 53 Air Force and Navy aircraft along with Army missile batteries at Kadena Air Base, Japan. As Task & Purpose previously reported, that elephant walk contained just about every airframe needed for a fight in the Pacific — and was likely put on with China in mind. Task & Purpose asked Hoffman if the Air Force was sending a message to China with the Freedom Flyover's unique combination of fighters and bombers. 'The flyover served to honor the fallen for Memorial Day and simultaneously illustrated the Air Force's ability to project power, communicate resolve, and provide options in times of crisis,' Hoffman replied. Still, the formation's first-ever combination of bombers and fighters demonstrated that the Air Force is 'not to be trifled with,' said retired Air Force Col. Mark Gunzinger, a former B-52 instructor pilot and flight evaluator. 'Did it send a signal to our nation's enemies, including China? Absolutely,' said Gunzinger, who previously served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for forces transformation and resources. Gunzinger noted that the planes that took part in the Miami airshow were flown by both active-duty troops and reservists. 'China is rolling out a lot of new kit, but a key point is their airmen lack the decades of combat experience our airmen have, and that can make the difference between victory and failure in war,' said Gunzinger, who is currently the director of future concepts and capability assessments at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. However, Gunzinger added that the planes that flew at the Miami airshow were designed decades ago. The B-52, for example, first flew in 1952, just five years after the Air Force became an independent military branch. 'We have the combat edge in terms of experience,' Gunzinger said. 'We have the best airmen in the world, but we must increase our advantage over China by providing our airmen with new kit, because we don't want to engage in a fair fight. We want to dominate, and that will only occur if we modernize our Air Force.' 18 Army Rangers suspended for allegedly firing blanks at Florida beach Hegseth announces accountability review of Afghanistan withdrawal Coast Guard rescue swimmers saved a worker stuck in hardening concrete after roof collapse This National Guard unit went completely analog to simulate a cyber attack Fewer reenlistment options for soldiers amid high Army retention
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First Post
5 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
After Diego Garcia, US deploys warplanes in Guam to beef up Indo-Pacific presence
After Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, the United States has deployed heavy, nuclear-capable bombers in Guam to beef up the military presence in the Indo-Pacific region. read more A B-52 Stratofortress assigned to the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, takes off at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, on April 14, 2023. (Representative Photo, Credit: US Air Force) In what appears to be part of a gradual build-up in the Indo-Pacific region, the United States has now deployed bombers in Guam after deploying more warplanes in Diego Garcia earlier this month. The deployment in Guam comes after the United States deployed B-1B bombers for the first time in Japan last month. While Guam in the western Pacific Ocean is part of the 'second island chain' strategy of the United States to contain China, Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean is critical to operations in Central Command, Africa Command, and European Command. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD US beefs up Inco-Pacific presence with bombers in Guam The US Air Force 2nd Bomb Wing, which operates B-52H Stratofortress long-range, heavy bombers, appears to have deployed an unspecified number of aircraft in Guam. A video cited by Newsweek shows the unit's bombers undergoing maintenance and post-flight inspections at the Andersen Air Force Base in Guam on May 22. The B-52H bombers have a stated range of 8,800 miles and can carry up to 70,000 pounds of payload. They are also capable of carrying nuclear warheads. These aircraft are said to have 'worldwide precision navigation capability' and have a top speed of 650 miles per hour. The news of B-52H's deployment in Guam comes after the United States increased the strength at the Diego Garcia base in the wake of ongoing tense nuclear negotiations with Iran. In March, The War Zone reported that six B-2 bombers were deployed in Diego Garcia and the total number at one point reached 10 — an unusually large number in what was deemed as power projection amid rising international tensions. Even as the B-2s left Diego Garcia, the United States increased the deployment of F-15 fighter planes at the base, according to TWZ. In two tranches, TWZ has reported that the United States has deployed six F-15s in Diego Garcia to provide protection to the base and bombers stationed there. Since the October 7 attack, the base has been used to strike Yemen-based Houthis who have terrorised the Red Sea.
Newsweek
5 days ago
- General
- Newsweek
US Sends New Bombers to Frontline Air Base in West Pacific
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The United States appears to have rotated its bomber fleet to the Western Pacific Ocean by deploying aircraft to Guam, a strategic hub that serves as a staging area for projecting power. Newsweek has reached out to the U.S. Pacific Air Forces for further comment by email. Why It Matters The U.S. often deploys its bombers—consisting of the B-1B Lancer, B-2 Spirit, and B-52H Stratofortress—at bases in the Indo-Pacific region for Bomber Task Force (BTF) missions, including Guam, its westernmost territory in the Pacific Ocean, a Newsweek map shows. Guam serves as the center of the Second Island Chain under the U.S. containment strategy, which seeks to keep adversaries' forces in check. The island also hosts Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps bases that sustain and maintain the American military presence in the region. What To Know The U.S. Air Force 2nd Bomb Wing—a B-52H Stratofortress bomber unit headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana—released a video on Saturday indicating that an unspecified number of bombers have been deployed to Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. The video shows a bomber undergoing maintenance and post-flight inspections at the air base on May 22, with its caption stating that BTF missions provide opportunities to train and work with U.S. allies and partners across different combatant command areas of operations. The B-52H bomber is capable of carrying up to 70,000 pounds of nuclear or conventional weapons and features "worldwide precision navigation capability." It has a stated range of 8,800 miles and a top speed of 650 miles per hour, according to a U.S. Air Force fact sheet. This marked the third BTF deployment in the Western Pacific Ocean this year, according to the map created by Newsweek. The last mission saw four B-1B bombers deploy to Misawa Air Base in Japan in mid-April, returning to the U.S. in two flights on May 9 and May 12. A United States Air Force B-52H bomber arrives at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam after completing a Bomber Task Force mission on April 29, 2024. A United States Air Force B-52H bomber arrives at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam after completing a Bomber Task Force mission on April 29, 2024. Tech. Sgt. Eric Summers Jr./U.S. Air Force The map also shows that Andersen Air Force Base hosted another BTF deployment from mid-January to early March, involving a separate group of four B-1B bombers. These bombers are not nuclear-capable and carry up to 75,000 pounds of conventional weapons. It was not clear how long the B-52H bombers will be deployed in Guam. The U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command, responsible for America's bomber force, previously told Newsweek that it is ready to conduct BTF missions "anyplace, anytime, and for any duration required." What People Are Saying The U.S. Air Force 2nd Bomb Wing said: "Bomber Task Force missions demonstrate the credibility of our forces to address a global security environment that is more diverse and uncertain than any other time in recent history." The U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command previously told Newsweek: "Our command is committed to working with U.S. allies and partners to deter aggression in the Indo-Pacific; those allies and partners provide an asymmetric advantage that our adversaries can never hope to match." The U.S. Pacific Air Forces previously told Newsweek: "The U.S. Air Force routinely deploys a variety of aircraft and units throughout the Indo-Pacific area of operations in support of geographic combatant command objectives and training." What Happens Next It remains to be seen when the Guam-based B-52H bombers will execute their first mission since arriving on the Western Pacific island, where tensions remain high in the South China Sea, across the Taiwan Strait, and on the Korean Peninsula.
Newsweek
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
US Deploys F-15 Fighter Jets To Defend Indian Ocean Outpost
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. U.S. Air Force F-15 fighter jets have been deployed to Diego Garcia to protect its assets on the Indian Ocean island, it has been reported. A U.S. official told Air & Space Forces Magazine that the aircraft had been sent to the island to provide force protection, without specifying how many planes had been sent. Military online magazine The War Zone said at least four of the aircraft had been sent to protect assets there, which include B-52H bombers. Newsweek has contacted the Pentagon for comment. F-15 Eagle fighter jets fly over the race course during the 129th Boston Marathon on April 21, 2025, in Boston, Massachusetts. F-15 Eagle fighter jets fly over the race course during the 129th Boston Marathon on April 21, 2025, in Boston, It Matters Part of the British Indian Ocean Territory, Diego Garcia is a strategic operating location for the and U.K. and U.S. militaries. It hosts Space Force operations and is a key port for U.S. Navy vessels, including nuclear submarines, and shelters a Sealift Command Prepositioning Ship Squadron. TWZ reported the U.S. is stepping up its defense of the island amid a growing threat from Iran and its regional proxies, with Tehran commissioning vessels that can launch ballistic and cruise missiles as well as long-range kamikaze drones. What To Know U.S. Air Force F-15 fighters were deployed to Diego Garcia to protect the assets there, CDR Matthew Comer, chief of media and current operations, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Public Affairs, told the The War Zone. The website cited an unnamed source as saying a contingent of at least four of the fighter jets had been sent to protect assets, which include B-52H bombers, five KC-135 tankers, a C-17 cargo plane and a white-colored airliner. It said that satellite imagery taken on Friday showed the planes although it was not clear whether they were F-15C/D Eagles, which the U.S. Air Force is steadily retiring, or F-15E Strike Eagles. An unusually large force of six B-2 Spirit stealth bombers started arriving on the island in March. The aircraft subsequently conducted strikes on Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen, TWZ reported. While the remoteness of the island was a natural barrier for adversaries, Iran has posed a growing threat in recent years with Tehran demonstrating missile and drone capabilities, including launchers in standard shipping containers. U.S. Command has paused its military campaign, Operation Rough Rider, against the Iranian-backed Houthis earlier this month. During the campaign, the Houthis fired on U.S. ships and aircraft and downed at least seven U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drones. The USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier lost two F/A-18s off its deck and the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier was also deployed to the region. What People Are Saying CDR Matthew Comer, spokesperson for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, told The War Zone: "The F-15s are deployed providing force protection." What Happens Next There are not many details about the deployment of the F-15s but the U.S. appears to be protecting its military assets on Diego Garcia. After President Donald Trump announced the U.S. would stop its bombing campaign against Houthis, he has left open the possibility of still using force against the Tehran-backed group.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
F-15 Eagles Deploy To Diego Garcia To Protect The Indian Ocean Outpost
The U.S. Air Force has sent a contingent of at least four F-15 fighters to Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean to help provide force protection for the island and the assets currently deployed there, which includes B-52H bombers. TWZ explicitly raised this possibility in April in a piece touching on evolving threats to the highly strategic Indian Ocean outpost and the vulnerabilities they highlight. 'The F-15s are deployed providing force protection,' an official with U.S INDOPACOM confirmed to The War Zone. We had some follow up questions and will update this story with any new pertinent details provided. TWZ first noted the F-15s in a satellite image of Diego Garcia taken on May 16, 2025, from Planet Labs archive. Whether these are F-15C/D Eagles, which the U.S. Air Force is steadily retiring, or F-15E Strike Eagles isn't perfectly clear, although they appear to most likely be E models based on their paint tone. Four B-52H bombers, five KC-135 tankers, a C-17 cargo plane, and a white-colored airliner with orange nacelles — most likely an SAS airlines personnel transport flight — is also viewable in the image. A review of additional satellite imagery from Planet Labs indicates the F-15s have been there since at least May 14. Diego Garcia has long been a highly strategic operating location for the U.S. military. Beyond its large airfield that sits in the center of the Indian Ocean, it plays many roles for the Department of Defense, including hosting Space Force operations, serving as a key port for U.S. Navy vessels, including nuclear submarines, and its lagoon provides shelter for a Sealift Command Prepositioning Ship Squadron. The island outpost drew particular attention recently after an unusually large force of six B-2 Spirit stealth bombers began arriving in March in a clear show of force aimed primarily at Iran. The B-2s subsequently conducted strikes on Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen. The four B-52s now on Diego Garcia began arriving last week. For a very brief period, there were 10 U.S. bombers on the island, but the B-2s quickly began departing for home. Online flight tracking data indicates that the last B-2s left the island on or around May 9th. 10 US Air Force strategic bombers are at Diego Garcia as of to be seen is whether the B-2s will return to the States or stay for a while longer. — TheIntelFrog (@TheIntelFrog) May 8, 2025 Correction on the callsign, it's #CHIRO11. — EISNspotter (@EISNspotter) May 10, 2025 A satellite image from 9 May with 3x B-2 and 4x B-52 bombers in Diego Garcia. Source: MizarVision, a Chinese commercial satellite imagery company. Media reports and open-source flight data and air traffic control monitoring indicate that the B-2 bombers are leaving Diego Garcia. — Shahryar Pasandideh (@shahpas) May 11, 2025 Historically, Diego Garcia's remoteness has been seen as a natural barrier to attack by non-near-peer potential adversaries like Iran. However, as TWZ has previously noted, the threat ecosystem has steadily changed in recent years. As we wrote in a story about the island's potential vulnerabilities in April: 'At the same time, ever-growing threats emanate from Iran, as well as its regional proxies, that are no longer just defined by range rings around the Middle East. Iran has notably commissioned multiple sea base-like vessels that can be used to launch potentially large numbers of ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as long-range kamikaze drones, all from hundreds of miles away, in recent years. The Iranians have also demonstrated missile and drone capabilities, including launchers in standard shipping containers, which could be employed from commercial cargo and other civilian ships. Iran already has a history of using converted cargo vessels as motherships for intelligence gathering and covert attacks. There is also the potential for Iranian operatives or proxies to infiltrate an area to launch more localized campaigns, including using smaller and shorter-ranged weaponized drones.' As noted, in that same story, we had also explicitly raised the question of whether a fighter contingent might appear on the island to provide force protection in light of those threats. Deploying to enhance security for a high-profile VIP visit is another possibility, although we have no indication that is the case at this time. Regardless, F-15s would be an ideal platform for this force protection role. U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles very pointedly demonstrated their ability to contribute to a layered defense against complex cruise missile and drone attacks while helping to defend Israel from threats launched by Iran last year. They are arguably the most experienced fighter community in the USAF for dealing with a high-volume drone and cruise missile threat. This is beyond the fact that the F-15E force is taking on a bigger counter-air role as the F-15C's inventory continues to dwindle. The Strike Eagles could also use their high endurance, large payload, and very capable sensor suite to detect and neutralize surface threats and provide non-traditional reconnaissance in the region surrounding the archipelago. It's also possible that these aircraft are indeed F-15Cs, which are also very well suited for the counter drone and cruise missile mission set. They bring some capabilities the F-15E doesn't have, including an infrared search and track (IRST) system. On the other hand, they would not be able to provide the air-to-surface capabilities that an F-15E contingent could. They could still provide limited reconnaissance support with the help of the Sniper targeting pods, though. While we do not know the intelligence or mission demand that triggered this relatively unprecedented force protection deployment to the island, if the potential threat picture at Diego Garcia is significant enough to warrant a fighter contingent, it highlights broader issues facing the Air Force and the rest of the U.S. military. Sending the six B-2s to Diego Garcia had added to an already heated debate about whether the U.S. military should be investing more in hardened aircraft shelters and other fortified infrastructure at key facilities globally. There are particular concerns about the vulnerability of airbases across the Indo-Pacific region during a potential future high-end fight with China. The airfield on Diego Garcia currently has just four specially designed B-2 shelters, which are not hardened. At Diego Garcia, 'we have multi-layered defense systems to ensure the security and protection of our personnel and equipment,' a spokesperson for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) had told TWZ in April. How long the U.S. military will continue to have a bolstered airpower presence at Diego Garcia, which now includes the F-15 detachment, remains to be seen. American authorities agreed to a ceasefire with Yemen's Houthis, brokered by the Omani government, last week. The United States and Iran are also currently engaged in negotiations over Iran's nuclear ambitions. U.S. President Donald Trump has signaled in the past that military action against Iranian nuclear sites, which could be carried out in part by bombers flying from Diego Garcia, could be on the table if those talks fail. This would heighten the need for force protection assets at Diego Garcia, as well as other U.S. facilities across the Middle East. Contact the author: joe@
