U.S. plans to deploy strategic bombers over Korean Peninsula

It has been said that the U.S. will deploy strategic bombers to Andersen Air Force Base in Guam as a counteraction on the North Korea’s 5th nuclear test. It will be a solemn warning on the North’s latest nuclear provocation and a chance to reconfirm‎ that South Korea is under the protection of the U.S. nuclear umbrella and nuclear deterrence policy.

The U.S. deployed B-52 strategic bomber to the Korean Peninsula on Jan. 6 this year, four days after the North conducted the 4th nuclear test.


A senior military officer said that South Korea is negotiating with the U.S. military authorities to deploy strategic bombers in the Guam air base in earliest time. It takes only four to five hours for the U.S. to bring the bomber from the base for flight training to the Korean Peninsula. B-52 Stratofortresses, B-1B Lancers, B-2 Spirit stealth bombers have been sent to Guam. Strategic bombers loaded with multiple nuclear weapons, Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), and Ship Submersible Ballistic missile-N (SSBN) are called as the nuclear triad of the U.S.

"The government is reviewing options of more than 2 models of bombers to be deployed to South Korea and now considering airstrike trainings against North Korea’s military command and missile facilities," another military official said. At the bilateral summit in the Laotian capital of Vientiane, the leaders of South Korea and the U.S. vowed that the two countries would curb the North's nuclear desire by using all possible means. It means that the two allies may stage a strong armed protest with nuclear bombers as an evidence of their recent comment. Up until now, Washington has warned Pyongyang by deploying one model of strategic bomber such as B-52 and B-2 in the sky of the Korean Peninsula.

The U.S. air force bomber triad of B-52, B-2, and B-1 conducted a joint flight mission in the Pacific command region in August for the first time ever.

Also, the nuclear-powered warship USS Ronald Reagan, the flagship of the U.S. Seventh Fleet, will sail to South Korea’s Yellow and South Seas to participate in a joint navel exercise on Oct. 10-15. Reagan is nicknamed a "floating air base" in the sea, as it embarks FA-18 Super Hornet bomber and E-2C Hawkeye early warning aircraft and 80 other planes. It also transits several Aegis cruisers and nuclear submarines, making its combat strength equals to the naval and air power of a sizable country. Military officials said that the exercise will focus on training the allies’ naval forces on joint precision attacks on North Korea’s key military facilities and the regime’s leadership that would be launched in the event of a war with the communist country.