US supersonic bombers made appearance in drill near India- China border

The US B-1B supersonic heavy bombers made their maiden appearance at the ongoing Exercise Cope India 2023, a joint drill held by the US and Indian forces not far from the India-China border. The bomber also known as Rockwell B1 Lancer ‘Bone’ participated along with other fighter aircraft in the exercise.

The Indian Air Force shared this on its official Twitter handle, “The USAF's 'Strategic Swingwing' over the old home of IAF Swing Wings. The 'Bone' Rockwell B1 Lancer of the @usairforce flying with other participating fighter aircraft during the ongoing #ExCopeIndia 23.”

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The bombers, which were seen parked in Bangalore, joined the drill that was held 700 km (435 miles) from the Chinese border, according to media reports.

The planes joined the air combat phase of the exercise from April 13 to 24 at India’s Kalaikunda Air Force Station. The base is located in the eastern state of West Bengal, which is bordered by Bangladesh and Bhutan.

This was the first time for the Rockwell bombers to take part in an exercise in India, that too in the vicinity of the Chinese border.

China seems uneasy

Observers in China see this as Washington’s effort to push India to take a more aggressive stance towards China. “The B-1B is a strategic bomber, so even though it has a relatively low attendance rate [in drills] due to high maintenance, it represents a more powerful strategic deep-strike capability and the ability to strike outside the defensive zone,” Song Zhongping, a former PLA instructor, said.

“The aim of the US in sending this strategic bomber was to highlight its growing partnership with India and to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in the strategic arena.”

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According to Song, the intentions of the US were “very obvious”: to provoke the relationship between China and India, and to encourage India to adopt an offensive strategy against China.

Washington played a supporting role in India’s border tensions with China. During the deadly border conflicts at Ladakh in 2020, the US military shared information with Indian forces about Chinese military activities in the mountainous region, according to a memoir by then-US defence chief Mark Esper published last year.

Washington also gives Indian troops cold-weather gear during the stand-off, according to the memoir titled A Sacred Oath: Memoirs of a Secretary of Defence During Extraordinary Times.

Exercise Cope India 2023: Japan joined as an observer

Exercise Cope 2023 is a bilateral exercise between the Indian Air Force and the United States Air Force. The drills started at Air Force Stations Arjan Singh (Panagarh), Kalakikunda and Agra on April 10. It aims to strengthen mutual understanding between the two Air Forces and share their best strategies, the Ministry of Defense said in a press release.

Japan has also joined the exercise as an observer member. During the first phase of the exercise, both sides fielded the C-130J and C-17 aircraft, with the USAF operating an MC-130J.

The next phase of the exercise commenced at AFS Kalaikunda on April 13 which witnessed the participation of B-1B bombers of the USAF. F-15 fighter aircraft of the USAF will join the exercise subsequently.

On the side of IAF, Su-30 MKI, Rafale, Tejas and Jaguar aircraft will participate in the next phase of the exercise, as per the press release. The exercise will be supported by air refuellers and an Airborne Warning and Control System of the IAF. The exercise will conclude on April 24.

(With inputs from agencies)

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