USAF Abruptly Ends Its Continuous Bomber Presence On Guam After 16 Years

[Sundowner]

As COVID-19 continues to overshadow the news I thought this stood out as pretty significant from a strategic asset profile change aspect. This move provides at least 2 positive benefits: (1) Increased asset unpredictability and (2) decreased asset loss exposure in a possible future crisis.

(side note: Is it possible to leave the political aspects out of the discussion?)

Lets try. 

                                    Regards,
                                    Sun

The U.S. Air Force has ended its uninterrupted rotations of bombers to Andersen Air Force Base on Guam, which have been ongoing since 2004, as it shifts to a less predictable concept of operations. Five B-52H Stratofortresses left yesterday with no replacement aircraft in place, bringing an end to what the service had called the Continuous Bomber Presence Mission. This notably came just days after the bombers took part in a massive "elephant walk" readiness drill that also involved six KC-135R aerial refueling tankers, an RQ-4B Global Hawk drone, as well as a U.S. Navy MQ-4C Triton drone, and an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter, which was seen as a significant statement of American resolve aimed (at) China.

Online aircraft tracker and friend of The War Zone @AircraftSpots spotted the five B-52Hs leaving Guam for their home at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota on Apr. 16, 2020. The bombers used the very pointed callsign "SEEYA" for the transit.

    USAF B-52Hs SEEYA01, 02, 03, 04 & 05 departed Andersen AFB, Guam en route home to Minot AFB, North Dakota. pic.twitter.com/woOBYDT8fq
    — Aircraft Spots (@AircraftSpots) April 16, 2020
https://twitter.com/AircraftSpots/status/1250860112387792897

"In line with the National Defense Strategy, the United States has transitioned to an approach that enables strategic bombers to operate forward in the Indo-Pacific region from a broader array of overseas locations, when required, and with greater operational resilience, while these bombers are permanently based in the United States," U.S. Air Force Major Kate Atanasoff, a U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM) spokesperson, confirmed in a statement to The War Zone. "U.S. strategic bombers will continue to operate in the Indo-Pacific, to include Guam, at the timing and tempo of our choosing."

Starting in 2004, the Air Force began deploying B-52s, as well as B-1B Bone supersonic bombers and B-2A Spirit stealth bombers, for six-month stints to Andersen on Guam as part of the Continuous Bomber Presence Mission. As its name indicates, the concept of operations was meant to ensure that at least one task force of long-range heavy bombers was in position at the immensely strategic base at all times to respond to potential contingencies in the Pacific Region. The bombers on Guam had been a cornerstone of U.S. power projection and deterrence capabilities to the region since then....

Article continues:
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/33057/the-continuous-strategic-bomber-presence-mission-to-guam-has-abruptly-ended-after-16-years

Also covered at:
https://www.airforcemag.com/air-force-ends-continuous-bomber-presence-in-guam/

[Eagler]

Who needs B52s when you can kill global economies with a little Chinese bat dog anteater blood soup?

Eagler

[Ramesis]

And... at a time when tensions between U.S. and China are at their greatest.. what fool decided
this?

[FESS67]

And... at a time when tensions between U.S. and China are at their greatest.. what fool decided
this?

OK I'll bite.  What exactly is foolish about a strategy which is less predictable?

[Puma44]

.. what fool decided this?

Someone with a much bigger view of the picture than the small corner viewed from down here.

[Busher]

Someone with a much bigger view of the picture than the small corner viewed from down here.

Thank you Puma.

[Puma44]

Thank you Puma.

 

[Ramesis]

And then was Pearl Harbor... btw, remember the whiz kids?
 

[Sundowner]

Someone with a much bigger view of the picture than the small corner viewed from down here.

Thank you Puma.

[Ramesis]

Someone with a much bigger view of the picture than the small corner viewed from down here.

Spoken like a true "front line grunt"
 

[Puma44]

Spoken like a true "front line grunt"
 

Indeed!  Sometimes it’s too scary to see the whole picture.  It interferes with flying for a living. 

[Shuffler]

Indeed!  Sometimes it’s too scary to see the whole picture.  It interferes with flying for a living. 

More so on those 36 mile down legs.....

[Puma44]

More so on those 36 mile down legs.....

That’s for sure!

[Ramesis]

Indeed!  Sometimes it’s too scary to see the whole picture.  It interferes with flying for a living. 

At the time... probably... having aged as I suspect you have... we learn lessons form our mistakes and
quite simply put... the U.S. IMHO has learned nothing... China is quite possibly the new 1930s-1940s the
Japan... are u willing to take the risk?
 

[Busher]

At the time... probably... having aged as I suspect you have... we learn lessons form our mistakes and
quite simply put... the U.S. IMHO has learned nothing... China is quite possibly the new 1930s-1940s the
Japan... are u willing to take the risk?
 

Politics again huh? Gotta have a national enemy even if there isn't one.