The US Air Force announced on Wednesday another South China Sea patrol by B-1B Lancer bombers based in Guam. The same day as the drills, China's aircraft carrier Shandong was spotted leaving port as reports emerged of upcoming two-carrier drills alongside Shandong's sister ship, the Liaoning, and more over the summer.
On Tuesday, the US Pacific Air Forces Twitter account announced the patrol involving two supersonic Lancer bombers, which had “conducted a mission in the South China Sea on May 26 as part of a Bomber Task Force mission, showcasing their ability to fly, sail, & operate anywhere international law allows, at the time and tempo of our choosing.”
Last week, Maj. Gen. Jim Dawkins Jr., commander of the Eighth Air Force and the Joint-Global Strike Operations Center, boasted that the B-1B Lancer, now modified to carry substantially more missiles, including the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM), is “perfectly suited for the Pacific theater.” With a purported range of 230 miles, the LRASM has the potential to be a game-changer in the region, and the Lancer, which can carry at least 24 LRASMs, is being repurposed into a maritime patrol aircraft.
The patrol is just the latest by the aging bombers, as Washington has made several demonstrations of readiness and military strength amid a devastating pandemic at home, which has killed nearly 100,000 Americans. The Pentagon has dispatched nuclear-capable aircraft for surprise drills in northern Europe, Japan,…
