China is a hard nut to crack with its anti-air and ship missiles, but it is not foolproof. It is harder for the Americans to hammer the Chinese in the Indo-Pacific area. Solutions come with cold war weapons meant for Russia, but it will be long-range bombers to beat China into submission.
In Guam on July 21, the Air Force deployed two B-1B Bombers that headed west to rush headlong into the Pacific Ocean and end up in the South China Sea as their destination. There is no enemy to bomb, but the shock value of U.S. bombers arriving is already enough.
US will not be deterred by Chinese forces
Flyboys made a pass over the USS Ronald Reagan carrier strike group, which were exercising in the Philippine Sea. The images were captured by the U.S. Military according to Japan Times.
The appearance of the two B-1Bs is a demonstration to show that China is getting challenged. This also serves as a message to China's ruling Communist Party that U.S. is opposed to its unwanted expansion in the South China Sea.
This is just another interference that the CCP is none too happy about. US used a two-prong assault that is diplomatic and rhetoric by the Trump administration. One is pure firepower that comes with large bombers that can reach the Chinese coasts easily. American heavy bombers will bring in the thunder, then will add shock value to America's arsenal, according to The Economic Times.
From late January, the Air Force's B-1B and B-52 bombers working pair have done flyovers in the Indo-Pacific. These areas are the South China Sea, East China Sea, last is the Sea of Japan that were areas of contention. Another is the air defense identification zone (ADIZs) that is part of China's alleged zones of responsibility.
Long-range bombers are US' secret weapons
China is onion-skinned about such issues, and the U.S. is telling China no playing games. U.S. assets can connect to turn any high-value targets in China into dust. Reach is no problem with long-range bombers like the two, and there's no need to bring carriers into firing range.
In the dawn of China's rise, the Pentagon will use the former warhorses of the US-Soviet cold war which are the B-1B and the B-52. They worked as deterrents in two eras, and in the 2020s they are perfect platforms for standoff weapons. A combo of long-range bombers and modern missiles pack a one-two-punch. A newly developed Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile can hit targets in 600 kilometers, based on U.S. and western forces.
It's not easy to kill these bombers, especially the B-1B stealth bomber. Even the B-52 will be escorted by top-flight interceptors, like the F-18, F-35, and the F-15, with support from aerial tankers extending their ranges. The main problem is how to avoid missiles but the Chinese need to figure out how to how to hit them first.
According to David Deptula, connected to the Mitchell Institute, a B-1 can load a lot in its weapons like a CSG. It can be deployed fast too, according to Global News.
He added that bombers will be there in hours compared to ships. Fast response time is crucial to deter Chinese attacks. Any Long-Range Bomber force will be the added muscle to help the U.S. Fleet cope with a large Chinese fleet.
