A B-52H landed at Cheongju Worldwide Airport, marking the very first time in additional than three many years, the long-lasting bomber landed in South Korea.

A U.S. Air Power B-52H Stratofortress, belonging to the 2nd BW (Bomb Wing) from Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, landed at Cheongju Worldwide Airport, 112 kilometers to the southeast of Seoul, on Oct. 17, 2023, marking the primary time a Stratofortress strategic bomber landed in South Korea in 35 years.

As identified by Edward Pernotto, Col USAFR (Ret.), final time was in 1988, when Barksdale AFB’s 2nd Bomb Wing deployed two B-52s to Osan Air Base South Korea as a deterrent deployment for the 1988 Olympics in Seoul.

Previous to its historic first touchdown on the Korean Peninsula, the bomber had departed from its homebase together with one other BUFF (as the long-lasting plane is nicknamed) utilizing radio callsign HULK 11-12. At a sure level, the formation break up (it’s not clear the place the opposite B-52 has landed) and airframe #60-0021/LA flew over the opening of the 6-day Seoul Worldwide Aerospace and Protection Exhibition 2023 and in addition built-in with ROKAF (Republic Of Korea Air Power) F-35A stealth fighters throughout pre-planned joint drills meant at sending a powerful message of deterrence to North Korea.

“U.S. help for Seoul ADEX 23 is at an all-time excessive in recognition of the seventieth anniversary of the ironclad dedication to the ROK-U.S. Alliance,” stated an official release revealed on Oct. 15, 2023. “Participation within the occasion permits the U.S. to show its sturdy readiness by showcasing capabilities dedicated to defending service members and their households, in addition to defending allies and accomplice nations.”

“We’re honored and excited to show our ironclad dedication to the ROK-U.S. Alliance with the participation of the B-52 Stratofortress, and all of our US gear and personnel in Seoul ADEX 23,” stated Maj. Rachel Buitrago, seventh Air Power Public Affairs director. “These flyovers, air demonstrations and static shows, together with the touchdown for the B-52 on the peninsula, is a part of our continued pledge to advertise peace, stability and prosperity on the Korean peninsula.”

All year long, Pyongyang has carried out a number of missile exams, together with the launch of its newest Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in July. Furthermore, North Korea has performed six underground nuclear exams and there have been issues since final 12 months that it might be about to conduct one other take a look at as a part of efforts to develop miniaturised nuclear warheads, Reuters reported.

Apparently, pictures revealed by South Korean Yonhap information company present that the B-52 that landed at Cheongju is a nuclear-capable bomber.

The USAF B-52 (Callsign HULK) has landed in South Korea for the primary time on the Cheongju Worldwide Airport. 😎💪

📷 Yonhap Information pic.twitter.com/UNiMN0ksSa

— Thenewarea51 (@thenewarea51) October 17, 2023

The U.S. Air Power bomber triad (B-52, B-1 and B-2) have typically carried out extended deterrence missions close to the Korean Peninsula and in addition east of North Korea north of the DMZ, launching from Guam, however they not often landed in South Korea: previous to at this time’s touchdown, a B-1B Lancer had landed at Osan Air Base in 2016, about 20 years because the final time.

David Cenciotti is a journalist based mostly in Rome, Italy. He’s the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of many world’s most well-known and skim navy aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for main worldwide magazines, together with Air Forces Month-to-month, Fight Plane, and plenty of others, overlaying aviation, protection, struggle, trade, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown a number of fight planes with totally different air forces. He’s a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Power, a non-public pilot and a graduate in Pc Engineering. He has written 5 books and contributed to many extra ones.