Where might the US station its B-21 bombers to deter China?

WASHINGTON — Nations in the Asia-Pacific are growing their missile arsenals, but the development of long-range capabilities may help stabilize the region, according to a report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies .

The London-based think tank released its take on the region’s balance of power, noting the growth in arms could boost deterrence against potential Chinese military offensives.

China has in recent years stepped up military activity around neighboring Taiwan, which Beijing considers a rogue province and has threatened to take back by force. While the United States officially maintains its one-China policy, it also provides arms to the island nation.

“That’s been our policy for as long as I can remember, and it remains our policy,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday. “And again, it’s a policy that ensures to the best of our ability that we have peace, that we have stability, that we don’t have a status quo that’s disrupted in ways that are going to have repercussions for everyone around the world.”

As a means of ensuring regional stability, the report specifically pointed to the U.S. Air Force’s B-21 Raider, a bomber currently in development by Northrop Grumman.

The first Raider, unveiled a little over a year ago, flew to Edwards Air Force Base, California, in November 2023 to undergo flight testing. Initial delivery to the service is expected in the mid-2020s.

The IISS report offered four possible basing locations for the B-21 in the Asia-Pacific — one in Guam and three in Australia — based on its own analysis, information from the U.S. and Australian militaries, and Lockheed Martin.

In addition, a variant of the Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile, dubbed AGM-158D JASSM-XR, with a range of up to about 1,118 miles, is scheduled to begin delivery in February 2027, the report noted.

“Designed to defeat modern air-defence systems and attack fixed targets, the JASSM and its variants can be launched from most USAF-crewed combat aircraft but are particularly potent when launched from long-range bombers,” it stated. “The prospect that the future B-21 Raider very low-observable bomber might also be equipped with variants of the JASSM will also potentially significantly extend the USAF’s ability to project power at long ranges while remaining undetected.”

Here’s the reach these scenarios provide the U.S. Air Force:

This shows the B-21 stationed at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. (International Institute for Strategic Studies)

This shows the B-21 stationed at RAAF Base Darwin in Australia. (International Institute for Strategic Studies)

This shows the B-21 stationed at RAAF Base Townsville in Australia. (International Institute for Strategic Studies)

This shows the B-21 stationed at RAAF Base Amberley in Australia. (International Institute for Strategic Studies)

Chris Martin is the managing editor for Defense News. His interests include Sino-U.S. affairs, cybersecurity, foreign policy and his yorkie Willow.

华盛顿——国际战略研究所的一份报告称，亚太地区各国正在增加导弹库，但远程导弹能力的发展可能有助于该地区的稳定。

这家总部位于伦敦的智库发布了其对该地区力量平衡的看法，指出军备的增长可能会增强对中国潜在军事进攻的威慑力。

近年来，中国加大了在邻近的​​台湾地区的军事活动。北京视台湾为叛乱省份，并威胁要武力收复。尽管美国官方奉行一个中国政策，但同时也向台湾提供武器。

美国国务卿安东尼·布林肯周二表示：“据我所知，这始终是我们的政策，而且至今仍是我们的政策。再次强调，这项政策旨在尽我们所能确保和平与稳定，避免现状遭到破坏，以免对全世界所有人造成影响。”

报告特别指出，为确保地区稳定，美国空军的 B-21“突袭者”轰炸机是诺斯罗普·格鲁曼公司目前正在研发的一种轰炸机。

首架“突袭者”无人机于一年多前亮相，并于2023年11月飞抵加利福尼亚州爱德华兹空军基地进行飞行测试。预计将于2020年代中期开始向美国陆军交付。

国际战略研究所 (IISS) 的报告根据其自身分析、美国和澳大利亚军方以及洛克希德·马丁公司提供的信息，提出了 B-21 在亚太地区的四个可能的基地位置——一个在关岛，三个在澳大利亚。

此外，报告指出，联合空对地防区外导弹的改进型 AGM-158D JASSM-XR，射程可达约 1,118 英里，计划于 2027 年 2 月开始交付。

声明指出：“JASSM及其衍生型号旨在突破现代防空系统并攻击固定目标，可由大多数美国空军作战飞机发射，但从远程轰炸机发射时威力尤为强大。未来B-21‘突袭者’超低可探测性轰炸机也可能配备JASSM的衍生型号，这将极大地提升美国空军在不被探测到的情况下远程投送力量的能力。”

以下是这些场景为美国空军带来的益处：

这张照片显示的是驻扎在关岛安德森空军基地的B-21轰炸机。（国际战略研究所）

这张照片显示的是驻扎在澳大利亚达尔文皇家空军基地的B-21轰炸机。（国际战略研究所）

这张照片显示的是驻扎在澳大利亚汤斯维尔皇家空军基地的B-21轰炸机。（国际战略研究所）

这张照片显示的是驻扎在澳大利亚安伯利皇家空军基地的B-21轰炸机。（国际战略研究所）

克里斯·马丁是《防务新闻》的执行主编。他的兴趣包括中美关系、网络安全、外交政策以及他的约克夏犬威洛。