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| The US Air Force’s B-1B’Lancer’ strategic bomber is landing at Bengaluru International Airport in India on the 1st. (US Indo-Pacific Command) © News1 |
U.S. bombers are drawing attention from each country as they first hit the Indian land in 75 years.
This is because Joe Biden believes it will not be unrelated to the situation where the US administration is intensifying pressure on China at the same time as the recent launch.
According to the US Indo-Pacific Command, a B-1B’Lancer’ strategic bomber belonging to Ellsworth Air Force Base landed at Bengaluru International Airport in South India on the 1st. Two days later, the bomber flew 26 hours to participate in the’Aero India’ held at the Air Force Base in Yelahanka.
The last US bombers came to India in October 1945, during the British colonial period. In this regard, the Indo-Pacific Command evaluated it as a “historic moment”, saying, “The US bomber first landed in India after the establishment of the Republic of India.”
‘Aero India’ is Asia’s largest air show held every two years, and this year, despite the outbreak of the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19), more than 500 defense companies and government officials from more than 60 countries participated.
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| US Air Force B-1B’Lancer’ bomber arriving in India on the 1st (US Indo-Pacific Command) © News1 |
In particular, B-1B demonstrated its long-range striking ability while splitting the air with LCA Teyas fighters of the Indian Air Force in this’Aero India’.
The B-1B has been deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq since 2001 to carry out operational missions. However, with the participation of this air show, there are observations that the radius of B-1B’s activity may expand to other regions such as India.
In particular, India, which is experiencing a border dispute with China, was also a country expected to play a role as one of the so-called’quads’ (US, Japan, India, Australia).
In this regard, Mark Weatherlington, commander of the 8th Air Force and joint global strike commander, who attended the air show as a member of the US military delegation said, “We have laid a foothold to promote the partnership between the air forces of our two countries. We look forward to strengthening cooperation as we pursue an open Indo-Pacific.”
The US has recently increased military tensions with China, centering on the South China Sea.
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| US President Joe Biden <자료사진> © AFP=News1 |
Hong Kong media Dung Mang reported on the 5th that a flyer of aircraft carriers with missions such as Nimitz, cruiser Princeton, and destroyer Stirrit passed through the Straits of Malacca and the vicinity of Singapore to the South China Sea.
Following the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier, which was already on duty in this area, two flyers were deployed forward to the South China Sea region.
On the same day, the US 7th Fleet Command released a picture of the Aegis destroyer John McCain, claiming that he had operated the’Freedom of Navigation’ operation in the South China Sea.
McCain also passed by the Paracel Islands (Chinese name Sisa Islands) in the South China Sea, where China and neighboring countries in Southeast Asia are experiencing sovereignty conflicts.
Of course, the Chinese side is also watching the US trend.
In the midst of this, when US Secretary of State Tony Blincoln said in a phone call on the 5th, “We will cooperate with allies and allies to hold China responsible for the threat of stability in the Indo-Pacific region.” He also said, “We will firmly defend the interests of development, safety and development.”