Japan, US showcase B-52 bombers in nuclear deterrence dialogue

Japan and the US held an “Extended Deterrence Dialogue” at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana on June 5-6.

In an annual display of nuclear strength, US government officials showed their Japanese counterparts a fleet of B-52 strategic bombers at the Louisiana air base.

The first Extended Deterrence Dialogue of a potential second Trump administration took place last Thursday and Friday at Barksdale Air Force Base, the headquarters of the Air Force Global Strike Command. Photos from the visit were released on Monday.

The Global Strike Command in Louisiana oversees all of the Air Force’s bomber forces, including the B-52, B-1, and B-2 wings. The strategic bomber is the most flexible leg of the nuclear triad and the most visible deterrent when deployed near adversaries.

Since 2022, the allies have been holding dialogue meetings at key sites of America’s sea, air, and land-based nuclear triad to demonstrate the US nuclear umbrella against countries they have declared adversaries, such as China, Russia, and North Korea.

The continuation of this tradition, potentially into a second Trump term, reassures the Japanese side that the importance of extended deterrence remains unchanged.

These visits to strategic locations began in June 2022 with an inspection of the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) USS Maryland at Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base in Georgia.

The following year, the Japanese delegation closely examined a B-2 stealth bomber at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri.

Last year, the Japanese observed several intercontinental ballistic missiles at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming, where they learned about the special procedures before a nuclear missile launch.

A press release from Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday consisted of a single sentence: “Japan and the US held an Extended Deterrence Dialogue at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana on June 5-6, 2024.”

The talks were established as a formal dialogue mechanism between the two governments in 2010 and are held regularly. The stated goal is to build a mutual understanding of deterrence, including nuclear capabilities.

During the dialogue, the two sides typically discuss the regional security environment and exchange views on the alliance’s defense posture, nuclear and missile defense policy, arms control, and risk reduction.

The talks included officials from Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defense, as well as members of the Self-Defense Forces and the Embassy of Japan in Washington. The US side was represented by officials from the Department of State, the Pentagon, and the military.