TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Australian media has reported the U.S. is preparing to deploy as many as six nuclear-capable B-52 strategic bombers in northern Australia, a move that experts said is a warning to China as concerns grow that Beijing is preparing to attack Taiwan.
A report by the ABS program "Four Corners" published on Monday (Oct. 31) revealed the B-52 Stratofortresses would be deployed at Tindal Air Base to the south of Darwin, Australia, where special facilities would be constructed to house the bombers. The U.S. has reportedly drawn up plans for a "squadron operations facility" to be used during the dry season in Australia's Northern Territory and is building maintenance centers and a parking zone for "six B-52s."
Becca Wasser, a research fellow at the Centre for a New American Security, a Washington-based think tank, said the deployment of the B-52 bombers in northern Australia is a strong message to China: "Having bombers that could range and potentially attack mainland China could be very important in sending a signal to China that any of its actions over Taiwan could also expand further."
For more than 60 years, the B-52 bomber has been a core weapons delivery platform for the U.S. Air Force, with long-range strike capabilities and the ability to carry both nuclear and conventional weapons. The U.S. Air Force told the news agency, "The ability to deploy U.S. Air Force bombers to Australia sends a strong message to adversaries about our ability to project lethal air power."
When asked when the B-52's would be deployed at Tindal Air Base, the Australian Defense Ministry declined to comment.