US Bomber Showcases New Strategic Trick After Vanishing Act in Pacific

A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., and F-16 Fighting Falcons from Misawa Air Base, Japan, conducted bilateral joint training with Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) F-2s and F-15s off the coast of Northern Japan, April 22, 2020. Japan Air-Self Defense Force

Last week, for the first time in 16 years, the U.S. Air Force left the key strategic Pacific island of Guam with no heavy bombers.

The vanishing act wasn’t a sign of weakness, but a new trick that the Pentagon is practicing to keep adversaries on their toes: dynamic force employment.