RAAF Tindal To Be Upgraded To Host USAF B-52 Bombers
Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation
November 01 2022
The U.S. is making plans to station bomber aircraft at an air force base in northern Australia, reports the Australian Broadcasting Corp.
Washington has developed plans for a squadron operations facility, a maintenance center and a parking area that can accommodate up to six B-52 bombers at RAAF Tindal, south of Darwin.
The project is expected to cost around US$100 million, with the parking area to be completed in late 2026. There are also plans to build jet fuel storage tanks and an ammunition bunker at the site.
The new facility will support strategic operations and several 15-day training exercises in the region during the dry season, according to U.S. documents.
The program is part of a larger series of military upgrades in northern Australia amid growing concerns about China.
The Australian Defense Dept. declined to indicate when B-52 rotations to RAAF Tindal might begin.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry accused the U.S. of undermining “regional peace and stability,” saying that it “may trigger an arms race in the region,” according to wire service reports.