On BBC, Bryan Clark discusses the United Kingdom’s decision to allow the United States to use its bases, highlighting that these facilities host B-1 Lancer bombers capable of carrying the largest payloads deployable in the region. He emphasizes that access to these bases is essential for large-scale strikes along the coastline to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, while noting that a California-based unit will replace forces called in from Japan as part of a broader effort to rebalance US presence in the Indo-Pacific as the war in Iran continues.
Caption
An Air Force Global Strike Command unarmed Minuteman III ICBM launches during an operation test on February 23, 2021, at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. (US Space Force)