China carried out the launch of the Shenzhou-18 manned spacecraft before 9 p.m. on April 25, and now the spacecraft has docked with the Chinese space station, thus realizing the space "rendezvous" with the crew of the Shenzhou-17 manned spacecraft, at an altitude of 400 kilometers in space, there are 6 Chinese astronauts on the mission, and the International Space Station has 4 astronauts at the same time. On the day of the launch of the Shenzhou 18 manned spacecraft, the U.S. Air Force did not stop, and there was already a rhythm of eye medicine, according to the information released on social media, the U.S. Air Force used two B-52H strategic nuclear bombardments on April 25 to approach again. Judging by radio communications, the B-52H has the call sign Duma 11FLT, a strategic nuclear bomb that took off from the continental United States, and the destination is Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, located in the western Pacific Ocean.
Judging by the trajectory of the voyage, the B-52H passed through the airspace of Alaska, and then through the airspace of the North Pacific Ocean, carrying out air refueling near Tokyo, Japan. The U.S. Air Force dispatched KC-135R large air tankers from the Yokota base to provide air refueling services for the B-52H. In-flight refueling near Tokyo is a common routine for the U.S. Air Force B-52H to fly across intercontinental transitions, and it is actually carrying out a mission that simulates a long-range strike, for which there will be imminent maneuvers. According to the information obtained by the Global Beacon Line, when the US Air Force B-52H is deployed in the Asia-Pacific region, it usually takes four aircraft in a combined mode, so two more B-52Hs will fly to Guam.
The Yokota base, where the KC-135R air tanker took off, is the location of the US military headquarters in Japan, and the permanent deployment is the C-130J medium tactical transport aircraft, but there will also be the deployment of other fighters in peacetime, including F-35A Lightning II fighters, KC-135R air tankers, and RC-135 strategic reconnaissance aircraft. Recently, the United States and Japan have reached a consensus to promote the expansion of the authority of the commander of the US Forces Command in Japan so that they can command the US Forces stationed in Japan and the Japanese Self-Defense Forces in a unified manner.
The U.S. Air Force had previously deployed B-52Hs on Guam, so the April 25 operation was a rotational mission, and the transition was also a fierce deterrent to China, highlighting the hostile stance of the United States towards China. After the deployment of the US strategic nuclear bomb to Guam, it will carry out missions within the first island chain, including entering the airspace of the East China Sea, the Yellow Sea, and the South China Sea, and will also carry out multiple deterrence patrol missions in the airspace of the western Pacific. During a previous dynamic deployment, the B-52H also conducted the last test launch of the AGM-183 air-launched hypersonic missile, when the simulated strike was targeted at the Kwajalein range in the Marshall Islands, though it did not appear to be successful.
Before the U.S. Air Force B-52H was deployed to Guam again, the U.S. Air Force used 14 B-52Hs at a time to carry out large-scale intensive take-off and cruise missions, thus verifying the U.S. Air Force's large-scale long-range assault capability. Judging by the videos and photos released by the US Air Force, the B-52H carries the AGM86 family of cruise missiles, which have the ability to carry nuclear warheads, so they are an important air strategic deterrent for the United States. The B-52H will remain in service for about 30 years after being refined, and the U.S. Air Force is currently pushing for several improvements, including engine replacement. In addition to the U.S. Air Force's use of the B-52H, it also used 12 B-2A stealth strategic nuclear bombers to carry out intensive take-off exercises, and the B-2A is a stealth capable platform, so it has more deterrent capabilities than the B-52H.