US nuclear-capable B-52 bombers head to Australia as China slams move

The United States is planning to send nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to Australia as tensions with China continue to simmer, the Pentagon confirmed Tuesday. 

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s “Four Corners” television program first reported that up to six B-52s would be sent to the Royal Australian Air Force’s Tindal base in northern Australia. 

Asked about the deployment, Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said the U.S. has a long-standing relationship with Australia and that “it’s not uncommon for us to send aircraft through to participate in joint exercises, combined exercises with Australia.” 

The move has already drawn the ire of China, which accused the U.S. of stoking tensions in the region. 

“The relevant practices of the U.S. side have increased tensions in the region, seriously undermined regional peace and stability, and may trigger an arms race in the region,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Monday, as reported by Reuters.  

Ryder, meanwhile, said the deployment sends a “clear message” to countries in the region that the United States has “the capability to deter and, if necessary, engage” and that it maintains capabilities “to be available to respond to a variety of contingencies worldwide.” 

Separately, Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Martin Meiners told The Hill that U.S. military aircraft, “including B-52s and other bombers, have visited Australia to participate in joint exercises for years and will continue to do so.” 

Meiners added that such deployments, which will take place at Tindal, stem from commitments made at the Australia–U.S. Ministerial Consultations in September 2021, when the two countries agreed to rotational deployments of U.S. aircraft to Australia. 

Under President Biden, the U.S. government has made Australia a more central part of its defense strategy, steadily strengthening the countries’ military alliance to counter China’s expanding power in the Indo-Pacific region.  

Australia’s Northern Territory hosts U.S. Marines for rotations involving training and joint exercises, a practice that began under President Obama. 

But in September 2021 — as China increasingly raised the possibility of a Taiwan invasion to bring the independent island under its control — the United States, along with Australia and the United Kingdom, announced the “AUKUS” alliance, focused on helping Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines. 

As part of that deal, Australia in March announced it would build a new naval base off its east coast. The new base will eventually be home to nuclear submarines the country looks to acquire via AUKUS. The base could also provide American nuclear submarines with supplies and maintenance. 

And in January, Australia agreed to a $3.5 billion deal with the U.S. to acquire more than 120 tanks and other armored vehicles to upgrade its military fleet.