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A US B-52H (center) strategic bomber and Korean F-15K and KF-16 fighter planes carry out a joint exercise in the airspace above the West Sea on March 6. (courtesy of the Ministry of National Defense)

An American B-52 strategic bomber capable of carrying nuclear weapons was scheduled to land at a South Korean air base on Tuesday. This marks the first time a B-52 has ever landed at a South Korean air base, and is seen as a warning directed at North Korea in response to its growing nuclear and missile capabilities.

Col. Charles Cameron, the head of the US’ team for Seoul ADEX 2023, said that a B-52 Stratofortress bomber from the US Air Force will fly over Seoul Air Base during the opening ceremony on Tuesday morning, the first day of the defense expo, at a press conference at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, on Monday.

Seoul ADEX 2023 is the largest aerospace and defense industry exhibition in Korea.

Following its participation in ADEX events, the B-52 was slated to land at an air base in the country. Prior to this, B-52s that had taken part in exercises with the Republic of Korea Air Force in the skies above the Yellow Sea or the Korean Peninsula had returned to US air bases in Guam or other locations instead of landing at air force bases in South Korea.

Considering that the B-52 is capable of dropping nuclear bombs while in flight, there’s little military utility in landing at an air base in South Korea. However, the strategic bomber does have considerable significance on a symbolic level, underlining the US’ commitment to extended deterrence against North Korea’s nuclear threat.

The B-52 is regarded as one of the US’ three main strategic bombers, along with the B-1B and the B-2. Both the B-52 and the B-2 (but not the B-1B) are capable of carrying nuclear devices.

The B-52 is a long-range strategic bomber that is capable of carrying up to 31 tons of bombs (including nuclear bombs) for at least 6,400 kilometers and then returning to base after its bombing run.

Considering that North Korea has warned about the potential outbreak of nuclear war each time US nuclear-powered aircraft carriers or strategic bombers are dispatched to the Korean Peninsula, it is likely to have an even more dramatic reaction to a US strategic bomber landing in South Korea for the first time.

By Kwon Hyuk-chul, staff reporter

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