For the first time in history, United States Air Force B-52 nuclear-capable bomber aircraft, landed in Jakarta, Indonesia. Their arrival comes just days after Secretary of State Antony Blinken's meetings in Beijing utterly failed.
For the first time ever, US B-52 Stratofortress lands in Indonesia (Kualanamu Airport, North Sumatra) Judging by its tail markings, the heavy bomber is based in Minot Air Base, North Dakota (most likely 23rd Bomb Sq).
Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota is a U.S. Nuclear Weapons base.
The arrival of two such nuclear bomb capable aircraft is said to be part of Washington's efforts to forge closer military ties with Jakarta. Though the countries have worked together for many decades, this marked the first time that the long-range strategic bomber was deployed to the Indo-Pacific nation.
The aircraft had been deployed from Andersen Air Force Base (AFB), Guam, from Minot AFB, North Dakota, and had only arrived in the Indo-Pacific earlier this month. Four B-52s and more than 200 airmen assigned to the 23rd Bomb Squadron, Minot AFB, made the trip to Guam.
Air Force Global Strike Command announced the arrival of the bombers via a post to social media, noting, "#Striker Airmen from @TeamMinot have brought the B-52 back out to the Indo-Pacific on a #BTF mission, to train & interoperate with Allies and partners across the region."
The map below shows Jakarta in relation to China:
Blinken may have failed to achieve all his objectives on his visit to Beijing this week, but the message being sent by US nuclear bombers being in China's backyard, is unmistakable.
