The U.S. deployed two B-2 Spirit strategic bombers over the Korean Peninsula during military exercises earlier on Thursday.
A military source revealed that the B-2s struck a virtual target on a shooting range in southwestern South Korea before returning to base, the first time that the B-2 has officially taken part in training missions over Korea.
“The B-2 is a stealth bomber that can penetrate deeply behind enemy lines with conventional and nuclear weapons, and that is why North Korea is afraid of it. It is an important element in extended deterrence in the Asia-Pacific region,” the source commented.
The U.S. appears to have deploying the B-2s for the same reason it previously deployed both the B-52 strategic bomber and the Los Angeles-class USS Cheyenne nuclear-powered submarine: namely, to send a strong warning message to North Korea and put the U.S.’ nuclear umbrella, a key aspect of Washington’s alliance with Seoul, on practical display around the Korean Peninsula.
