On January 15, a squadron of B-1B Lancer bombers from the U.S. Air Force (USAF) landed at Andersen Air Force Base on the island of Guam, marking the first Bomber Task Force deployment of the year in the Pacific. Additionally, during this deployment, two aircraft participated in a trilateral exercise with the South Korean Air Force and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, aiming to strengthen military cooperation between the United States and its Asian allies.

According to the information disclosed, a total of four B-1B Lancer bombers assigned to the 34th Bomb Squadron from Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, arrived on the western Pacific island. As part of the force’s usual rotational deployments, the last deployment took place in May 2024, when the USAF sent an unspecified number of bombers in the context of the inauguration of Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-Te and following a military exercise by China’s People’s Liberation Army near the island.

Regarding the flight conducted by the Air Forces of the United States, South Korea, and Japan, the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) stated in a release: “This first trilateral flight of 2025 builds on a history of strong trilateral cooperation, enabling an immediate coordinated response to regional security challenges.” The United States had previously conducted bilateral fighter-bomber flights with Japan or South Korea, but the trilateral flight reflected the strengthening of ties among the three countries in response to tensions with China and North Korea.

As mentioned in the statement, the Bomber Task Force allows various types of these aircraft to operate in the Indo-Pacific region, from overseas locations to U.S. territory. Today, Guam is one of the most strategic locations for the United States in the Pacific, defined by its proximity to Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and other territories, but especially as a deterrence hub against China. Although the deployment of bombers is presented as routine, it often responds to regional events that impact the role and strategic interests of the United States in the Indo-Pacific, sending clear messages of determination and capability.

Image credits: U.S. Air Force

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