A B-1B strategic bomber of the U.S. Air Force lands at Osan Air Base in Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. Washington flew two bombers over South Korea in a show of force against North Korea. One landed here, while the other returned to Andersen Air Force Base on Guam. / Korea Times Photo by Hong In-kee |
One makes unusual landing at Osan Base
By Jun Ji-hye
Two B-1B strategic bombers of the U.S. Air Force (USAF) flew over South Korea, Wednesday, in a show of force against North Korea as tension remains high after its fifth and most powerful nuclear test, Sept. 9.
They conducted a low-altitude flight over a firing range near the inter-Korean border, and then over Osan Air Base, 70 kilometers south of Seoul. One landed at the base, while the other returned to Andersen Air Force Base on Guam. It is unknown how long the bomber will stay here.
It is very rare for a U.S. bomber to land in South Korea, defense officials said, adding that it was a strong warning from the United States to North Korea.
The move is also aimed at reaffirming Washington's commitment to providing Seoul with extended deterrence amid growing threats from Pyongyang, officials added.
The latest sortie of the U.S. bombers came eight days after two conducted a low-altitude flight over Osan for several minutes, Sept. 13. At that time, they both returned to Guam without landing.
In its latest nuclear test, the North claimed that it successfully detonated a miniaturized nuclear warhead that can be placed on a ballistic missile.
"The bond between the U.S. and the Republic of Korea is ironclad and the strength of that commitment will not be shaken by North Korea's aggressive behavior," said Lt. Gen. Thomas W. Bergeson, the 7th U.S. Air Force Commander. "What we are showing today is just one tool we have from a wide array of options to choose from. The alliance grows stronger every day and we remain prepared to defend and to preserve the security of the Korean Peninsula and the region."
Lt. Gen. Lee Wang-keun, South Korean Air Force Operations Commander, said, "The Korean Peninsula faces a grave security crisis as a result of North Korea's fifth nuclear test along with its continued launching of submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) and ballistic missiles despite the concerns of the international community."
Lee said that the air forces of the two nations maintain close information sharing and a robust combined operational capability.
"Should the enemy provoke us once again, the combined air forces will respond and eliminate their will and capability to fight," he said.
The B-1B Lancer is a four-engine supersonic, variable-sweep wing, strategic bomber with a speed of Mach 2. The aircraft is capable of carrying the largest payload of both guided and unguided weapons in the USAF inventory.
The ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC) said that the Lancer can rapidly deliver massive quantities of precision and non-precision weapons against any adversary, anywhere in the world, at any time. The aircraft holds almost 50 world records for speed, payload, range and rate of climb in its class, it added.
The B-1B was a nuclear bomber but is no longer armed with nuclear weapons in accordance with a bilateral treaty between the United States and Russia on the reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms. But the Lancer is capable of carrying the AGM-86B air launch cruise missile (ALCM) and the AGM-69 short-range attack missile, which is capable of striking the North's key nuclear facilities as well as its military leadership.
Washington is also planning to dispatch a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to South Korea next month as part of its efforts to deter further military provocations by the North.
The USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) will sail to the West and South seas to participate in a joint naval exercise with the South Korean military. The drill is slated for Oct. 10 to 15, officials said, adding that the exercise will focus on training the allies' naval forces on joint precision attacks on the North's military facilities and the regime's leadership that would be launched in the event of a war with the reclusive state.