Japan Press Weekly

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2009 February 18 - 24 [US FORCES]

Nuclear-capable U.S. B-52 bombers participate for the first time in joint Japan-U.S. drills

It has been learned that a joint military exercise between the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force and the U.S. Air Force and Navy was held in Guam from February 1-14 with nuclear-capable B-52 Stratofortress strategic bombers of the U.S. Air Force participating for the first time.

The United States has deployed its B-52s to Guam to serve on a “global deterrence” mission. The joint exercise will help deepen military integration between Japan and the United States.

The exercise took place at U.S. Andersen Air Force Base in Guam with B-52s from the Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota and F-22 Stealth fighters from Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska.

The Japanese Air Self-Defense Force took part in the joint exercise with its eight F-2 jet fighters and two E-2C tactical airborne warning and control system aircraft.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates once described the B-52 Air Wing (the 5th Bomb Wing) as an indispensable component of U.S. nuclear deterrence (December 2008). It actually took part in the Iraq War in 2003 and in air strikes with air-launched cruise missiles and laser-guided bombs.