U.S. Air Force and Marine Corps 5th generation aircraft fly over the North Pacific Ocean, June 13, 2024. The speed, flexibility, and readiness of the Air Force's strategic bombers plays a critical role in deterring potential adversaries and signaling unwavering support to allies and partners. Counter-maritime missions provide valuable training opportunities to improve interoperability and demonstrate that Air Force forces are capable of operating anywhere, anytime, to meet any challenge decisively. (U.S. Ma
Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org
Multiple B-2 bombers flew to the Pacific last week to participate in a large-scale joint exercise around Guam, Palau, and the Northern Mariana Islands. During the deployment, the stealthy bombers landed on Guam for the first time in years.
Pacific Air Forces released images of the B-2s flying alongside Marine Corps F-35Bs and landing at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, on June 13. While there, they participated in Exercise Valiant Shield, which concluded June 18.
The Air Force has not announced a B-2 landing on Guam since 2019 during a refueling stop for a Bomber Task Force mission. The bomber made severalappearances over Europe in 2023, and crews deployed to Australia in 2022 as part of a Bomber Task Force.
Valiant Shield is a biennial exercise, with the latest edition including all six services, as well as international partners for the first time. As part of the exercise, forces conducted a sinking exercise on the decommissioned hulk of an amphibious transport dock, launched high-altitude balloons from Andersen, conducted nighttime flying operations, and more, to build “real-world proficiency in sustaining joint forces by detecting, locating, tracking, and engaging units at sea, in the air, in space, on land, and in cyberspace in response to a range of mission areas,” according to a Navy release.
The Air Force, in particular, contributed a host of forces to the exercise. In addition to the B-2s from Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., the exercise included:
F-22s from Joint Base Langley–Eustis, Va.; and Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska
F-16s from Misawa Air Base, Japan
C-17s from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
C-130Js from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas
B-1s from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D.
The C-130Js in particular participated in a maximum endurance operation to get to the exercise—echoing the epic 26-hour flight another C-130J crew took from Dyess to Guam in April, two C-130Js equipped with conformal fuel tanks flew 22 hours from Texas to the Pacific, with a quick stop in California, while two others made an additional stop.
The B-1s and F-22s took part in the formation flight over U.S. Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ships to kick off the exercise on June 7.
Neither Pacific Air Forces nor Whiteman Air Force Base have disclosed what missions or training the B-2s participated in during the exercise.
Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org
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