Lancers are headed to Guam for the first time in 10 years, as US Pacific Command replaces the nuclear-capable B-52s with conventional B-1s as part of the continuous bomber presence mission. B-1Bs from Ellsworth AFB, S.D., will touch down later this month at Andersen AFB, replacing B-52s from Minot AFB, N.D. The deployment includes 300 airmen. The B-1 fleet has recently undergone a large-scale upgrade program, which forced the Air Force to return the aircraft from its continuous presence in the Middle East. “With a large weapon capacity and exceptional standoff strike capability, the B-1 will provide US Pacific Command and its regional allies and partners with a credible, strategic power projection platform,” Pacific Air Forces said in a news release. The deployment marks the first time B-1s have deployed to Guam since April 2006, and the first time they have deployed to Andersen while aligned under Air Force Global Strike Command.
Why DARPA Thinks Stealth Is Obsolete in Future Wars
June 25, 2025
The stealth technology that gave the U.S. its airpower edge over the last 30 years is being overcome by new sensors that will make it hard for anything to hide, putting a premium again on speed and maneuverability, the deputy director of DARPA told AFA's Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.