B-2 bombers headed to Guam (first time ever)

Stars and Stripes ^ | March 1

[maestro]

BTTT

[VaFederalist]

Got to be TDY. AF pukes will find a way to get per diem out of this, even if they have to sit on the beach to do it. Also, Rep Ike Skelton would never let his babies get out of the nest for good.

[tanknetter]

B-2s have definitely deployed to Guam before (see this article from 1998: http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/usa/bomber/n19980317_980365.html ).

Maybe this is referring to the new deployment being more of a permanent, forward-deployed det.

[cynicom]

I have no knowledge of current requirements of forward deployment but in the distant past we were on "duty" 24/7 for 90 days at a time. (drunk or sober) Per diem bought extra booze.

[OXENinFLA]

LINK 01/13/2004

Begert mentioned basing a fighter wing on Guam as well as air refueling aircraft, the new unmanned Global Hawk spy plane, and long-range bombers like the B-2 stealth bomber, for which special air-conditioned hangars were positioned there last year before the start of the Iraq war.

These are "very attractive kinds of options that in today's world, with the importance of Asia in this century, all make good sense," he said. Begert noted that last spring the Air Force deployed B-1 and B-52 long-range bombers to Guam temporarily.

B-1
B-52
B-2

BINGO!

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[RicocheT]

Probably North Korea. We are sending them a message.

China is a future problem if they go for Taiwan. The problem with a Guam deployment is the Red Chinese have missile subs that could do a first strike on Guam and then we've lost half our B-2 strength.

[jriemer]

The release did not specify the number of B-2s deploying to Guam.

The USAF isn't going to go through the effort and cost of upgrading multiple non-CONUS airfields to support the B-2. The airfield at Diego Garcia is in the Indian Ocean and approximately 3200 miles / 5200km away from targets in Iran. This also puts bombers with a replacment value of more than $1B USD each within Iranian missile range. One other problem with Diego Garcia is that it is owned by Britain and We need their permission to operate from there. Some day the US and UK may have a difference of opinion regarding the WOT and that will affect our access to Diego Garcia.

Guam is approximately 6k miles away (great circle) from most targets in Iran, outside of their missile range and most importantly a US protectorate. That gives our President and military leaders the most flexibility to operate - unilaterily if required.

[El Gato]

Not the "First Time Ever". I remember (growing up on SAC bases) friends tranferibg there and wings doing temp duty there in the 60s and 70s.

Not first time for SAC (which doesn't exist any longer) or for strategic bombers, first time for the B-2.

[El Gato]

The problem with a Guam deployment is the Red Chinese have missile subs that could do a first strike on Guam

The Navy's attack subs trailing the ChiCom boomers would sink the ChiCom missile boats boats before they could launch. Depending on the ROA of course.

[Brilliant]

If China does attack Taiwan, it will go nuclear pretty quick. My thought is that putting the B-52s on Guam is more of a symbolic threat than a real one to China.

It might also be intended to ease the fears of the Japanese, who seem to be preparing for war, of late.

[BJClinton]

Thanks. There are two places to find any information you need: Google and Free Republic.

[nw_arizona_granny]

ohhh, dear.

[Calpernia]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1357652/posts?page=28#28

[Calpernia]

Bump

Bump

:)

[nw_arizona_granny]

Interesting article and good photos.

[windchime]

Thanks!

[finnman69]

Anderson Air Force base

Click the photo for a larger image

[Grut]

Thanks for the picture; it brings back memories.

One thing you don't get from this picture is a sense of how uneven Anderson is. There's a humongous dip in the runway that caused the somewhat underpowered B52Ds to actually lose airspeed as they climbed out of it on their takeoff rolls. D model takeoffs at Anderson were always a little dicey.

I recall being out on the parking ramp at the near end of the left runway one day and seeing a D model go screaming by still firmly on the ground, use the entire length of the overrun and pop up only to disappear over the edge of the cliff.

A few minutes later it reappeared in the distance, gamely struggling to climb back to the level of the field. That cliff was 500 feet of instant altitude and it saved more than a few lives.

[Professional Engineer]

ping