Australia Deploys Tankers to Extend the Reach of U.S. B-2 Bombers, Plays Growing Role Facilitating U.S. Power Projection Against China

A Royal Australian Air Force KC-30A aerial tanker successfully refuelled a U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bomber during Exercise Diamond Storm 26 on June 11, demonstrating an increasingly important element of allied strategy in the Pacific theatre. The operation highlighted Australia's growing role in supporting U.S. long-range strike operations thousands of kilometres from the continental United States, allowing the B-2 to maintain a persistent presence across one of the world's largest theatres of operations. The mission further illustrated how allied logistics have become a key component of U.S.-led efforts to sustain a Western dominated order in East Asia. 

The use of Australian tankers provided an alternative to relying on U.S. tankers deployed from Guam, Hawaii or the continental United States, significantly increasing operational flexibility while reducing strain on U.S. aerial refuelling fleets. Successful Iranian strikes on multiple U.S. KC-135 tankers from late February, and major delays and development issues affecting the KC-46 tanker, have placed growing strain on the American tanker fleet. The B-2 remains the United States' only operational stealth bomber, and was designed to be capable of penetrating heavily defended airspace while carrying both conventional and nuclear weapons. 

Australia has played an increasingly central role in supporting U.S. power projection efforts against China, with the U.S. Navy in June establishing a new submarine squadron, Submarine Squadron 3, at the Royal Australian Navy base HMAS Stirling in Western Australia. This was a key part of broader efforts to refocus the large majority of American attack submarine operations to the Pacific theatre. In October 2022, the Royal Australian Air Force Base Tindal was confirmed to have begun receiving upgrades confirmed to have begun to receive upgrades in order to host a permanent presence of U.S. Air Force B-52H nuclear capable intercontinental range bombers. It is expected that the successor to the B-52H and B-2, the B-21 Raider, will be based in Australia, which will allow for more rapid sortie generation against Chinese or North Korean targets. Australia thus plays a key role in U.S.-led efforts to escalate military pressure on the two major regional states that remain outside the Western sphere of influence.