One of the most formidable planes in the sky — the United States B2 Spirit stealth bomber has returned to RAAF Base Amberley.
The visit, by not just one but three of the aircraft, is about reaffirming our military alliance with the United States and to act as a ‘deterrent’ with a show of force in the Indo-Pacific.
The 110th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, which include aircraft, equipment and aviators from the 509th Bomb Wing and 131st Bomb Wing are also here as a rare opportunity for an air-to-air integrated training exercise.
The last time the Northrop B2 Spirit bomber was at Amberley was in 2022.
The aircraft is considered to be the most advanced in the US Airforce Fleet and the most costly at $3 billion each.
USAF Lieutenant Colonel Justin Meyers of the 110th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron said that they were here at Amberley performing this mission to train with both the US Airforce, our joint forces and our allied partners.
“It’s important that we show a ready and lethal force as a combined joint team for the Indo-Pacific region.
“Our mission here is very simple that is to provide a ready postured force and provide support to our combatant commanders,” he said.
Lieutenant Colonel Justin Meyers said that the B2 is the only World Wide stealth penetrating platform that is fully capable of conventional and nuclear as well, which can basically fly anywhere, anytime.
“There are only a handful of pilots who can fly the aircraft.
“They have 800 spirit numbers now, which is the number of people who’ve flown in the airplane.
“Pilot wise it is not quite that high, I was the 300th pilot to ever fly in the airplane — so it is a relatively small number of people,” he said.
Group Captain Paul Jarvis OC of the Number 82 Wing RAAF said that it was a chance for local pilots and personnel to hone their skills from what they learnt from the US Airforce during the last deployment.
“We don’t get to work with he B2s that often!
“They are a small community, they are sent off doing all sorts of things and we occasionally come across them in large exercises in America such as Red Flag.
Group Captain Jarvis also emphasised the importance of having allies in the Indo-Pacific.
“Having that relationship, having friends, not just the US but 20 countries in the Pitch Black is always important as part of a deterrent.
“As the National Defence strategy earlier this year called out the importance of showing capability to achieve deterrents.
“Australia by itself is not going to deter a major power that’s going to do something, it is about our relationship with other nations and working together” he said.
