Military Operations Enhance in Guam as Pacific Military Drills Gain Momentum, Featured by B-52 Bomber Squad
In a strategic move to reinforce deterrence and uphold the rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific region, the United States Air Force (USAF) has deployed a Bomber Task Force (BTF) to Guam and other locations in the Pacific.
The deployment, which includes at least two B-52H Stratofortress bombers stationed on Guam, according to open-source flight tracking data, is part of a broader effort by Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) to train with allies, partners, and joint forces. The specific missions the B-52s are scheduled to conduct during their BTF deployment have not been previewed by the Pentagon.
The B-52s on Guam are participating in regional joint events, as confirmed by the command. This deployment coincides with the large-scale REFORPAC exercise, a biennial U.S. Pacific Command-led exercise designed to reinforce deterrence and enhance interoperability with regional allies.
Meanwhile, four B-52s have been stationed on the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean since May. Their deployment there came following a ceasefire between the U.S. and the Houthis, which resulted in the B-2 Spirits being replaced by B-52s. The B-52s on Diego Garcia have been operating as the 23rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron while deployed.
The bombers assigned to the 5th Bomb Wing are part of this deployment. When operating from overseas locations, they are designated as the 23rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron. The continuous bomber presence on Guam by the Air Force ended in 2020, but the current deployment underscores the U.S. commitment to maintaining a strong military presence in the Pacific.
The deployment aims to enhance strategic deterrence against potential adversaries, notably China, by demonstrating the U.S. military's ability to project power across the region. The B-52s are participating in exercises that integrate advanced U.S. Air Force capabilities with those of allies and partners, strengthening regional security partnerships.
Earlier in 2025, B-52s were involved in exercises like Cope North 2025, which ran from February 3 to 21. However, it is unclear if the current deployment is specifically tied to Cope North, but such exercises are part of the broader PACAF strategy.
The current B-52 bomber task force deployment to Guam and other locations in the Pacific is a testament to the U.S.'s continued commitment to maintaining a strong military presence in the region, supporting regional stability, and promoting deterrence through strategic bomber operations.
- The bombers assigned to the 5th Bomb Wing, including at least two B-52H Stratofortress bombers, are part of the Bomber Task Force (BTF) deployed by the United States Air Force (USAF) to Guam and other locations in the Pacific.
- The aerospace industry and the military finance have provided the high-tech aircraft necessary for the B-52s to participate in exercises that integrate advanced Air Force capabilities with those of allies and partners.
- The Pentagon has not disclosed the specific missions the B-52s will conduct during their BTF deployment, but during the recent Cope North exercise, they were involved in demonstrating strategic bomber operations.
- This continuous bomber presence in the Pacific aims to deter potential adversaries, notably China, and underscores the U.S.'s commitment to the Indo-Pacific region, maintaining a strong military presence, and upholding the rules-based international order.
