US To Deploy 6 Nuclear-Capable B-52 Bombers In Australia As Warning To China

The United States is preparing to deploy up to six B-52 bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons in northern Australia against the backdrop of growing tensions between China and Taiwan, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported on Monday.

ABC's Four Corners program revealed that Washington was planning to build the relevant facilities at the Tindal military air base, located 320 kilometers (198 miles) southeast to the city of Darwin in Northern Territory. The so-called "squadron operations facility," an adjoining maintenance center and a parking area for six B-52s, is planned for use during the dry season.

"The ability to deploy US Air Force bombers to Australia sends a strong message to adversaries about our ability to project lethal air power," the US Air Force told Four Corners.

According to Becca Wasser from the Washington-based Center for a New American Security think tank, the presence of bombers that could potentially "attack mainland China could be very important in sending a signal to China that any of its actions over Taiwan could also expand further."

The expansion of the Tindal air base would cost up to $100 million and the parking lot will be completed at the end of 2026, the report said.