The United States is preparing to deploy up to six nuclear-capable B-52 bombers in northern Australia, a provocative move aimed at gauging China’s reaction.
An investigation by Four Corners (part of ABCaustralia) revealed that Washington is planning to build dedicated facilities for the giant bombers at Tindal Air Base, south of Darwin in northern Australia.
The US is preparing to deploy six nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to Australia amid rising tensions with China.https://t.co/DzCx64GmEv
— Four Corners (@4corners) October 30, 2022
The US has drawn up detailed plans for what it calls a «squadron operations facility» to be used during the Northern Territory dry season, an adjoining maintenance center and a parking area for «six B-52s».
The purpose of this deployment is manifest, to warn China that any attempt to forcibly occupy the island of Taiwan would trigger an armed US response, which could, from Australia, attack critical positions and infrastructure within mainland China.
Plans are also underway for a major expansion of the Pine Gap intelligence base, which would play a vital role in any conflict with Beijing.
Australia’s importance in US strategy
Rising tensions with China have made northern Australia a crucial defense hub for U.S. plans, which has pledged to spend more than $1 billion on upgrading its military assets in the region.
The expansion of Tindal Air Base includes a staging area with capacity for six B-52 bombers and is expected to cost up to $100 million. The U.S. Air Force says the staging area will be completed by the end of 2026.
In April, the U.S. Department of Defense budgeted $14.4 million ($22.5 million) for the squadron’s operations and maintenance facilities at Tindal.
«The [squadron operations] facility is required to support strategic operations and to run multiple 15-day training exercises during the Northern Territory dry season for deployed B-52 squadrons,» the US documents say.
The U.S. also plans to build its own jet fuel storage tanks and an ammunition bunker at the site.
Equally important to the growing U.S. presence in northern Australia is the construction in Darwin of large aircraft fuel storage tanks.
Some of this fuel stockpile was previously located at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, but is now being dispersed throughout the region, given the ability of Chinese missiles to reach the main U.S. base of operations in the Pacific Ocean.
