By Aritra Banerjee
The United States Air Force (USAF) has reinforced its presence at Aero India 2023, as two B-1B Lancers arrived in India after a journey from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. The B-1B Lancer is a supersonic heavy bomber with the USAF’s largest conventional payload of both guided and unguided weapons.
The B-1B’s return to India underscores the growing strategic partnership between the United States and India. Major General Julian C. Cheater, Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force, International Affairs, said that the B-1 offers flexible options to senior leaders and combatant commanders. Greater integration with allies and partners in the region is a positive step towards greater interoperability.
Rear Admiral Michael Baker, Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché at the US Embassy in New Delhi expressed happiness about the B-1’s arrival and stated that the two countries deepening defence cooperation is improving their militaries. Besides the B-1s, the US lineup at Aero India 2023 includes the F-35A Lightning II and F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, the F-16 Fighting Falcon duo, and the F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet multirole fighters, all showcasing the strength of the US-India partnership.
