Strategic bombers now no longer will be based outside of the continental U.S.

“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,” said Carla Pampe, a spokeswoman for Air Force Global Strike Command at Barksdale AFB, La., in a statement.

“U.S. strategic bombers will continue to operate in the Indo-Pacific, to include Guam, at the timing and tempo of our choosing. We will maximize all opportunities to train alongside our allies and partners to build interoperability and bolster our collective ability to be operationally unpredictable. We continually reassess our overseas posture and adjust to meet the requirements of the Joint Force and combatant commanders as well as our treaty commitments,” Pampe said.

She said the name for the new approach is Dynamic Force Employment.

Submitted Photo Airmen return to Minot Air Force Base on Monday from a deployment to Guam where they supported the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s Continuous Bomber Presence (CBP) mission in the Indo-Pacific region from Andersesn AFB, shown in this photo by Airman Jan Valle. Some planes and personnel returned earlier. The Air Force has ended CBP and now strategic bombers will no longer be based outside the continental U.S.

B-52 bombers and personnel from Minot AFB’s 23rd and 69th bomb squadrons along with other units from the 5th Bomb Wing have been part of the bomber rotation to Guam since it began in 2004. B-52s and personnel from Barksdale AFB and other Air Force bombers also took part in the rotation.

There was an exception for the Minot AFB units when they were deployed in early 2017 to the Middle East to support U.S. Central Command’s Operation Inherent Resolve, a combined joint task force operation to eliminate ISIS terrorist groups in Iraq and Syria. It was the first time in 12 years the base bombers were deployed to the Middle East for combat operations.

The most recent deployment to Guam for the 69th Bomb Squadron and other units with the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot AFB lasted longer than the usual six months. Minot AFB airmen had been in Guam for several months when Air Force Global Strike Command officials in March of this year issued a statement saying that in support of American interests and allies in the Indo-Pacific region, the decision was made to extend the Minot AFB B-52 bomber squadron’s time,

“This was the prudent decision to keep available bombers and aircrew forward deployed in the Indo-Pacific and Middle East. This extension, coupled with other B-52 deployments, and the ongoing maintenance issues with the B-1B fleet, contributed to this situation,” command officials said in a statement.

Three days before the last deployment ended, the Minot AFB B-52s took part in an “Elephant Walk” formation with Air Force KC-135 Stratotankers and a Navy MH-60S Knighthawk helicopter, Air Force RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft and Navy MQ-4C Triton at Andersen AFB. The “Elephant Walk” showcased the 36th Wing’s readiness and ability to generate combat airpower at a moment’s notice to ensure regional stability throughout the Indo-Pacific,” according to website of the 36th Wing at Andersen AFB.

Submitted Photo B-52 bombers from Minot Air Force Base along with other Air Force and Navy aircraft stationed at Andersen AFB, Guam, perform an “Elephant Walk” on April 13, shown in this Air Force photo. The “Elephant Walk” showcases readiness and ability to generate combat airpower at a moment’s notice in the Indo-Pacific region by the 36th Wing at Andersen AFB. Three days later the Air Force ended its Continuous Bomber Presence on Guam.