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US To Integrate Its F-35 Stealth Fighters With B-1, B-2 & B-52 Bombers To Maintain Credible Deterrence Against China

The Whiteman Air Force Base is hosting Exercise Agile Tiger, a large military exercise involving US Air Force’s aircraft like F-35, A-10 warthog, and B-2 Spirit. 

The four-day interoperability exercise began on April 4 and involves active duty, guard and reserve fighter, bomber, refueling and support units from across the United States. 

Six F-35A Lightning II fighter jets from Hill Air Force Base, two T-38 Talon fighter jets from Langley Air Force Base [AFB], and one KC-10 Extender fighter jet from Travis AFB landed at Whiteman AFB for the exercise.

Whiteman B-2 Spirits and A-10 Warthog aircraft, as well as Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, are also taking part in the exercise. McConnell, Dyess, Ellsworth, and Barksdale AFB will also host other flying and support units.

Exercise Agile Tiger is led by the 509th Bomb Wing and has been being planned for months. The exercise is designed to meet training objectives consisting of high-fidelity distributed mission planning, coordinated long-range standoff munitions integration, dynamic targeting, and sophisticated survival, evasion, resistance, and escape scenarios. 

The goal of the exercise is to know how to respond to increasingly constrained environments, interact cross-functionally, and innovate in a highly dynamic combat scenario, said Colonel Daniel Diehl, 509th Bomb Wing Commander. 

f-35
File Image: US Fighter Jets

The B-2, B-1, and B-52’s integration with fifth-generation fighter aircraft and other support units, according to the Air Force, enables America to maintain credible strategic deterrence in a fast-changing environment.

This engagement improves combined warfighter lethality while also fostering resilience, innovation, competitiveness, and process improvement – all of which are critical prerequisites to meet today’s complex challenges.

“As America’s premier bomb wing, our Airmen are trusted to execute nuclear and conventional airpower, and we are constantly looking for ways to improve processes and ensure we’re meeting the objectives of the National Defense Strategy. This exercise is designed to ensure we stay combat-ready, every day,” Diehl added. 

B-2 During Exercise Agile Tiger – Twitter

This event also enables the generation of innovative and unconventional communication methods, approaches, and procedures. In an ever-changing combat environment, Air Force Airmen can interact with one another in a variety of ways, both on the ground and in the air, the Airforce said. 

In an ever-changing combat environment, Air Force Airmen can interact with one another in a variety of ways, both on the ground and in the air. The E-3 Sentry (AWACS) is an example of a critical communication node that provides situational awareness to each member of the warfighting team, ensuring mission success.

The AWACS will provide all major actors, such as the B-2 and F-35, with a real-time portrayal of the simulated war scenario during Exercise Agile Tiger. This prepares the aircrew to take advantage of this intelligence and use their unique ability to carry out a worldwide strike at any time and from any location.

Whiteman Air Force Base

This Air Force base has played a significant role in the defense of the United States and recently completed its 80 years of heritage. Whiteman Air Force Base (AFB) is located in Johnson County, Missouri, nine miles east of Warrensburg. 

During World War II, the Army Corps used the facility as a glider training base. The base was placed on inactive status after the war until 1951, when it was revived and incorporated into the United States Air Force. Since then, It has operated as a bomber base and a missile base.

The 509th Bomb Wing is the host wing at Whiteman Air Force Base and is part of Air Force Global Strike Command. The B-2 Spirit bomber wing and its fleet are part of the Air Force’s conventional and strategic combat forces. 

Last Month, a B-2 Spirit bomber traveled thousands of miles from Missouri to Australia, demonstrating the strategic nuclear bomber fleet’s operational flexibility. 

The B-2 bomber soared from Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, to Royal Australian Air Force Base Amberley, Australia, for a rare training exercise alongside F-35A Lightning IIs, F-22 Raptors, F/A-18F Super Hornets, EA-18 Growlers, and F-16C fighter jets.

The deployment underscored the United States’ commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region with its partner Australia. For the US military, the US-Australia partnership is one of the most crucial. Regardless of what is going on in Eastern Europe, China remains the most significant threat to the US.

The Whiteman Air Force base has always been at the forefront of national defense since its inception. The base provided assistance for various US military operations, including Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Odyssey Dawn.

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