Posted on 01/23/2013 3:12:02 PM PST by blam
The US Is Moving Two B-2 Stealth Bombers Closer To China
David Cenciotti, The Aviationist
January 23, 2013, 2:22 PM
In November 2012, the U.S. Air Forced announced a series of worldwide training deployments for its stealthy B-2 Spirit bombers.
The “World Spirit Tour”, as the deployment was dubbed by Air Force Magazine, will bring the first two radar evading planes from the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, to the Pacific theater.
Destination: Andersen Air Force Base.
Strategically located 1,800 miles (about 2,900 km) to the east of China, Andersen has hosted a deployed strategic bomber force since 2004.
Even if the B-52s and B-1s are regularly deployed there, the B-2s were pulled out of rotation to Guam in 2010 (when up to six Spirits were temporary stationed there), after a serious engine fire earlier that year and the loss of another example in a 2008 crash.
With the deployment of the Spirit bombers once again to the Pacific atoll and, probably in the near future, in Australia, where the Air Force has announced “future rotational deployments” of its bat-wing bombers, the U.S. reaffirms the focus on a region where China’s military power is causing concern to Washington and its local allies, some of those dealing with territorial disputes.
Snip
First of all in the Asia-Pacific region, and then in Central and South America, Southwest Asia, and Europe, where there are no permanently assigned bombers.
It must be remembered that the B-2 is the only platform capable to deliver the Massive Ordnance Penetrator 30,000lb bomb. Capable to destroy bunkers in Syria, Iran. Or North Korea, not far from Guam either…
(snip)
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
If these bombers are closer to China they are also easier to attack by the Chinese with a Missile attack.
I hope the Air Force took that into concideration.
Some how I don’t think that these are what the chinese
have to worry about.
Preparing to give them away, no doubt.
SSsssssssHHhhhhhhhhhh...
be sure that nobody tells the Chinese.
Why do we even have a DoD and CIA anymore?
pei ping
I'm sure the Chinese are quaking in their underwear, if they wear any.
I’ve been watching CCTV (China’s version of CNN) often and it seems they are ramping up a lot of rhetoric against Japan lately, far more even than Taiwan. Almost every hour there is a story or statement harkening back to the atrocities by Japan during WWII and the disputed islands are top story every day. It seems to me they are mentally preparing their population for war.
“God we trust, in Guam we rust.” Place is a corrosion nightmare. Guam is a fair temporary environment but long time operations out of there will be harder on the planes. You called it correct.
Two?
Not two wings of B-2s? Just two?
Reminds me of the old stories about the Texas Rangers. One riot, one ranger. One Chinese Air Force, one B-2 and a second one to cover weekends.
But isn’t Guam also unstable and prone to capsize according to some (D) congresscretin?
Zactly! Just like the high tech drones “lost” in Iran.
Watch this , you won't believe it.
We wonder what has happend to the country. There's an admiral trying to talk to this...
I’m sure the Administration did before giving the order. Whether for the corrosive environment or the potentially more vulnerable location - this was not to enhance the power of this country but to weaken it. Expect much more of the same over the coming years. God help us make it to 2016.
Hmmm, so there IS a chance of the island capsizing?
Don’t you find it troubling?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.