The United States continues to position more of its military might to Asia with the deployment of an unknown number of its Rockwell B-1B Lancer supersonic heavy strategic bombers to Guam for long-range patrols extending up to South Korea.

This is the first time in 10 years this U.S. Air Force swing-wing supersonic bomber has been stationed in Guam, an indication of the high level of tension between the United States and China. Deploying the B-1Bs to the Pacific will also send a signal to North Korea that its nuclear and missile threats are being resolutely opposed.

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The bomber, which has the largest internal payload of any U.S. bomber and can fly at speeds of up to Mach 1.25 (1,335 km/h), will be based at Andersen Air Force Base on Aug. 6 along with 300 airmen from Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota.

The Lancers will replace B-52 bombers from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota that have been on Guam as part of the United States Pacific Command's continuous bomber presence mission.

Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), which is a part of the United States Pacific Command, said the Lancers "will provide a significant rapid global strike capability that enables our readiness and commitment to deterrence, offers assurance to our allies and strengthens regional security and stability."

PACAF said that with "a large weapon capacity and exceptional standoff strike capability, the B-1 will provide the U.S. Pacific Command and its regional allies and partners with a credible, strategic power projection platform."

The deployment of this strategic bomber optimized for devastating low-level attacks is the United States' reply to China's announcement it was increasing its air and sea patrols of the disputed South China Sea. This follows a ruling by an international tribunal that declared illegal China's claim to own this body of water based on "historic rights."

Two U.S Navy aircraft carrier groups, each with a Nimitiz-class nuclear supercarrier at its core, currently patrol the South China Sea. The U.S. has also stationed four U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft at Clark Air Base in the Philippines to keep tabs on the Chinese.

The B-1Bs are expected to challenge China should this country unilaterally impose an air defense identification zone (ADIZ) as it has threatened to following its humiliating loss to the Philippines at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.

The B-1B has a maximum internal weapons payload of 75,000 lb and maximum external weapons payload of 59,000 lbs.

It can carry 24 GBU-31 Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) at one time. Instead of this, it can also mount a combination of 24 Mk 84 2,000 lb. general purpose bombs; eight Mk 65 naval mines; 84 Mk 82 500 lb. general purpose bombs; 84 Mk 62 500 lb. naval mines; 30 CBU-87, -89, -97 cluster munitions; 30 CBU-103, -104, -105 wind-corrected munitions dispensor (WCMD); 24 AGM-158 joint air-to-surface stand-off missiles (JASSM) or 12 AGM-154 joint stand-off weapons (JSOW). 

TagsB-1B Lancer, Guam, Andersen Air Force Base, Pacific Air Forces, United States Pacific Command, Philippines