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B-2 Spirit stealth bombers have been deployed to RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland as part of a Bomber Task Force.
The aircraft from the US Air Force’s 509th Bomb Wing and 131st Bomb Wing flew from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri to Australia earlier this month on 16 August.
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Defence released a series of images that show the B-2s flying alongside RAAF Growlers (above), as well as an E-7A Wedgetail, F-35, and US F-22 Raptors.
It marks the first visit to Amberley by B-2s in two years, with the previous trip documented by Australian Aviation’s Craig Murray.
The UFO-like Spirit can carry nuclear weapons and is thought to be the most expensive aircraft ever made, valued at around $2 billion each.
Better known as the stealth bomber, the B-2 is a multi-role aircraft capable of delivering both conventional and nuclear munitions. It has a crew of two pilots: one in the left seat and a mission commander in the right.
It was first publicly displayed in 1988 when it was rolled out of its hangar at Air Force Plant 42 in California before its maiden flight the following year.
A Defence statement confirmed the aircraft’s arrival as part of continuing interoperability training with the United States Air Force.
“This deployment provides an opportunity for Australia and the United States to deepen air-to-air integration as part of the Enhanced Air Cooperation,” Defence said.
“RAAF and the United States Air Force have a longstanding shared history of military-to-military ties and regularly train together to improve interoperability.”
A statement published by US Indo-Pacific Command also confirmed the stay.
“United States strategic bombers can operate in the Indo-Pacific region from a broad array of overseas and continental US locations with great operational resilience,” it said.
“This deployment is in support of Pacific Air Forces’ training efforts with allies, partners, and joint forces and strategic deterrence missions to reinforce the rules-based international order.
“The Pacific Air Forces look for every opportunity to train alongside our allies and partners to demonstrate interoperability and bolster our collective ability to support a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
The news significantly comes after the federal government ruled out buying the B-2 Spirit’s sequel aircraft, the B-21 Raider, last year in favour of purchasing long-range missiles.
