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A U.S. Air Force B-2A Spirit stealth bomber<\/a> recently took part in a Bomber Task Force mission at Royal Australian Air Force Base Amberley, Queensland, Australia. The aircraft, Spirit of Texas, arrived there on June 11, 2026, to be integrated in the RAAF\u2019s Exercise Diamond Storm.<\/p>\n Diamond Storm is the culmination exercise of the Air Warfare Instructor Course<\/a>\u2019s (AWIC) final phase. The Australian Department of Defense said the B-2\u2019s presence allowed AWIC students \u201cto practice mastery in the integration of advanced air effects.\u201d<\/p>\n \ufeff<\/span>\ufeff<\/span>\ufeff<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe Air Warfare Instructor Course is vital to ensure the preparedness of Royal Australian Air Force personnel, and to train the next generation of experts in integrated air power effects to enable a collective strategy of denial in our region,\u201d Air Commodore Peter Robinson said. \u201cThe inclusion of the B-2 stealth bomber in the exercise is a clear example of the strong relationship and trust between Australia and the United States and proves our ability to develop practitioners who can operate at the high end of an international force.<\/p>\n The Royal Australian Air Force\u2019s Air Warfare Instructor Course (AWIC), held every two years, is a six-month intensive training activity that graduates experts in Air Domain integration. The course, which runs until June 2026,includes academic briefings in addition to the Diamond-series of exercises across Australia<\/a>.<\/p>\n During these exercises<\/a> \u2013 Diamond Seas, Shield, Spear and Storm \u2013 Air Warfare Instructor (AWI) students apply the lessons they have learnt in challenging scenarios. The Australian DoD described Diamond Storm as the final high-intensity assessment across Australia\u2019s northern approaches.<\/p>\n The B-2\u2019s participation in Diamond Storm included fifth-generation integration with Australia\u2019s F-35s<\/a>, air-to-air support and ground-based refueling in a high-tempo scenario. RAAF personnel provided security and logistics support for the B-2 while it was on the ground at RAAF Amberley.<\/p>\n The B-2 Spirit recently integrated with RAAF air power during Exercise Diamond Storm in Australia. This high-end training strengthens interoperability with our partners and improves our global strike capabilities in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific. pic.twitter.com\/Qz8cWzSgW8<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Whiteman AFB (@Whiteman_AFB) June 26, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u201cThis high-end, all domain integration is invaluable to maintaining a top-of-state readiness, our always-ready global strike capability, and integrated lethality with our coalition partners,\u201d said the commander of the USAF 393rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron. \u201cThis exercise reinforces that the United States does not face the challenging international environment alone.<\/p>\n Additionally, the U.S. Air Force said in a caption that \u201cthis activity is valuable as part of efforts to support collective deterrence in the region \u2013 deepening advanced air-to-air integration between the Australian Defence Force and United States air elements to enable the two countries to operate together seamlessly.\u201d<\/p>\n The captions for the images released by the U.S. Air Force on the DVIDS network<\/a> mention the B-2 demonstrated Agile Combat Employment maneuvers, including a hot pit refueling, and long-range strike capabilities. A RAAF KC-30 tanker<\/a> also refueled the bomber during the mission.<\/p>\n The images also show the bomber sported the white patches<\/a> that were first posted during the round-trip missions as part of Operation Epic Fury. At that time, the patches were spotted on Spirit of Mississippi and Spirit of Louisiana.<\/p>\n The U.S. Air Force\u2019s B-2 Spirit stealth bomber has become an increasingly visible component of U.S.-Australia defense cooperation. In fact, in recent years, a series of Bomber Task Force (BTF) deployments highlighted the growing strategic importance of Australia in the Indo-Pacific.<\/p>\n The first major recent deployment occurred in July 2022, when four B-2s from the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, arrived at RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland. The deployment, one of the largest overseas B-2 detachments<\/a> in recent years, was also framed under the Enhanced Cooperation Initiative between the United States and Australia.<\/p>\n During the 2022 deployment, the stealth bombers participated in Exercise Koolendong 22, flying alongside Royal Australian Air Force F-35A Lightning II fighters and conducting interoperability training with Australian personnel. The exercise demonstrated the ability of both air forces to operate together in complex scenarios while reinforcing strategic deterrence throughout the Indo-Pacific.<\/p>\nExercise Diamond Storm and the B-2<\/h3>\n
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<\/a>B-2 and Australia<\/h3>\n
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