{"id":21746,"date":"2020-09-04T19:40:06","date_gmt":"2020-09-04T19:40:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/09\/04\/training-down-under-b-1s-b-2s-take-part-in-combined-exercise-with-us-marines-aussies\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T20:35:25","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T20:35:25","slug":"training-down-under-b-1s-b-2s-take-part-in-combined-exercise-with-us-marines-aussies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2020\/09\/04\/training-down-under-b-1s-b-2s-take-part-in-combined-exercise-with-us-marines-aussies\/","title":{"rendered":"Training down under: B-1s, B-2s take part in combined exercise with US Marines, Aussies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

B-1B Lancer and B-2 Spirit bombers from across the Pacific region trained with Australian troops and U.S. Marines during exercises in Australia last month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bombers conducted a series of sorties throughout August as part of a combined task force with the Australian Defence Force and Marine Rotational Force\u2013Darwin, Pacific Air Forces said in a Thursday news release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the exercises, the forces practiced how a small naval expeditionary force would quickly deploy, link up with allies, coordinate airstrikes and call for close air support on targets in battle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber, deployed from Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, takes off at Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia, in support a Bomber Task Force mission to Australia, August 26, 2020. (Tech. Sgt. Heather Salazar\/Air Force)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s imperative that the U.S. Marine Corps and Australian Army work together,\u201d said Australian Army Sgt. Aaron Costes, a joint terminal attack controller with the 102nd Coral Battery, in the release. \u201cIt\u2019s such a feat that we can infill and have an aircraft come in from such long distances.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

B-2s from the 393rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron \u2014 which is part of the 509th Bomb Wing \u2014 deployed from Whiteman Air Force Base to Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia Aug. 12. They then flew multiple 4,000-mile sorties from the Indian Ocean island to Australia, PACAF said. They operated over the Delamere, Bradshaw and Mount Bundley training areas in North Australia.<\/p>\n\n\n\t