A B-1B Lancer assigned to the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron prepares to depart Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., Jan. 31, 2023. (Nick Wilson/U.S. Air Force)
An undisclosed number of B-1B Lancers from South Dakota landed on Guam last week for another of a series of bomber task force missions.
The aircraft, assigned to the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., arrived Feb. 1 at Andersen Air Force Base, according to a Pacific Air Forces news release Friday.
A bomber task force demonstrates the Air Force’s ability to “rapidly deploy anywhere, anytime and provide lethal precision” strike options, according to the release.
“Our mission here plays a crucial role in ensuring this dynamic region is free from coercion and accessible to everyone,” Lt. Col. Jeffrey Carter, the squadron’s director of operations, said in the release.
A squadron spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.
Bombers routinely deploy to the island territory, a strategic U.S. military hub and home to Andersen, Naval Base Guam and Marine Corps Camp Blaz, still under construction.
The 37th Expeditionary Squadron, also out of Ellsworth, deployed to Guam in October as a bomber task force. Four Lancers also deployed in June. Those bombers flew a variety of missions, including exercises with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and refueling operations with the Royal Australian Air Force.
Lancers from the 34th are expected to “continue to integrate and train with Allies and partners through various operations and exercises in the region,” according to the release.
A B-1B Lancer assigned to the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron prepares to depart Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., Jan. 31, 2023. (Jake Jacobsen/U.S. Air Force)
The task force missions support National Defense Strategy objectives of “integrated deterrence,” create advantages for the U.S. military and enable the bombers to operate both overseas and near the continental U.S., the release said.
Guam is home to key regional power projection platforms and logistical nodes and is an essential operation base for U.S. efforts to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific region, according to the National Defense Strategy.
“Within the context of homeland defense, an attack on Guam or any other U.S. territory by any adversary will be considered a direct attack on the Unite States, and will be met with an appropriate response,” the document states.
A $1 billion effort to establish a comprehensive, integrated missile defense system for Guam is underway, an endeavor some lawmakers regard as urgent given North Korea’s stepped-up missile testing and China’s military ambitions in the region.
