Two US B-1B strategic bombers conducted flights over the Korean peninsula on May 1.
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| Yonhap on May 2 quoted Lieutenant Colonel Lori Hodge, spokeswoman for the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), as saying that on May 1, the B-1B Lancer bombers left Andersen Air Force Base on Guam Island to participate in bilateral training activities with South Korean and Japanese partners. |
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| The PACAF representative added that the US aircraft operations are part of the US commitment to support regional security as well as commitments to specific allies. These are routine operations and “not related to any specific situation or country.” |
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| PACAF's statement was made after North Korea said on the same day that US B-1B strategic bombers flew over the Korean peninsula, an action that escalated tensions. |
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| The US aircraft appeared in the sky over the Korean Peninsula just one day after Seoul and Washington concluded their joint military exercise called Foal Eagle on April 30. The two-month exercise involved many modern weapons such as the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier, F-35 stealth fighters and B-1B bombers. |
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| Yonhap quoted a South Korean military source as saying that these planes participated in separate exercises with South Korean fighter jets and planes from the Carl Vinson aircraft carrier for about 2-3 hours to show off power to North Korea. |
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| The B-1 Lancer has the ability to fly flexibly and carry a large payload. The retractable wing design makes the B-1 Lancer's flight more flexible. Although it is a strategic bomber, the B-1 Lancer has a design similar to that of a fighter jet, allowing it to fly supersonic, which no other bomber can achieve. |
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| When the B-1 Lancer's wings are retracted into the fuselage, the B-1 Lancer can fly flexibly at speeds of up to 2,400 km/h for the B-1A Lancer version or more than 1,300 km/h for the B-1B Lancer version. When leaving the ground, the B-1 Lancer's wings are extended horizontally to increase the strategic bomber's carrying capacity. |
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| With a payload equivalent to its predecessor, the B-52, the B-1 Lancer can easily operate at very low altitudes, comparable to jet fighters. This ability not only helps the B-1 Lancer penetrate deep into enemy territory but also helps it accurately destroy any chosen target. |
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| The moment the B-1 Lancer broke the sound barrier to travel at supersonic speed. Its superior speed made it easy for the B-1 Lancer to surpass the giant B-52 and the B-2 Spirit strategic bomber to become the fastest strategic bomber of the US Air Force. |
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| Four super-powerful jet engines help the B-1 Lancer's maximum payload reach 216,400 kg with 57 tons of weapons in the storage bay or hanging under the belly. |
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| Bombs preparing to be loaded onto a B-1 Lancer. |
According to Baodatviet
