B-2 Bomber Reveals Ship-Killer Power in Pacific Sinking Drill
A decommissioned Navy ship spent two days getting hit by nearly everything the US and its allies could throw at it. The most significant strike wasn't the torpedo that finally sank it.
The Air Force revealed Monday that its B-2 Spirit stealth bomber successfully fired a long-range anti-ship missile during the exercise — the first public confirmation the aircraft carries that capability.
What Sank the USS Juneau
The decommissioned Austin-class amphibious transport dock USS Juneau (LPD-10) was struck by coordinated air, surface, and subsurface attacks on June 27 and 28, more than 200 nautical miles off the coast of Guam. A Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force submarine delivered the final blow with a torpedo, sending the ship to the bottom of the Philippine Sea.
Rear Adm. Eric Anduze, commander of Carrier Strike Group 5 and Task Force 70, said the exercise "provided an outstanding opportunity for our joint team to integrate capabilities across domains."
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The B-2's New Capability
The B-2 launched its AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) after deploying from Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, to Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. The aircraft had previously used the QUICKSINK weapon in the maritime strike role, but this marked the public debut of its LRASM capability.
The addition extends the B-2's reach against maritime targets in heavily defended areas, reducing its dependency on GPS, satellite links, and reconnaissance platforms that adversaries could jam or disable.
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A Signal Aimed at China
The demonstration comes as the Pentagon increasingly prepares for potential conflict in the Indo-Pacific, where China continues expanding what is now the world's largest navy. Publicly showcasing the B-2's anti-ship capability serves as a signal that the aircraft could hold high-value naval targets at risk.
The B-2 most recently saw combat use during Operation Midnight Hammer, striking Iranian nuclear facilities with 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs.
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A 57-Year-Old Ship's Final Mission
The USS Juneau entered service in 1969 and saw action in the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm before its 2008 decommissioning. Before the exercise, the Navy stripped the ship of hazardous materials including PCBs and petroleum residue in line with Environmental Protection Agency guidelines.
Valiant Shield is a biennial, multinational exercise involving the US, Japan, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, running from June 22 to July 1 this year, focused on building joint-force readiness across sea, air, land, space, and cyberspace domains.
What This Sets Up for the B-21
The demonstration could also preview future missions for the B-21 Raider, the Air Force's next-generation stealth bomber intended to eventually replace the B-2. Officials haven't disclosed which anti-ship weapons the B-21 will carry, though they've said it's being designed to employ a broad mix of stand-off and direct-attack munitions.
TL;DR
- A B-2 Spirit stealth bomber fired an anti-ship missile during Valiant Shield 2026, a first public demonstration
- The decommissioned USS Juneau was sunk by coordinated air, surface, and subsurface strikes
- A Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force submarine delivered the final torpedo strike
- The demonstration signals US readiness for potential Indo-Pacific conflict with China
- The capability could preview future missions for the upcoming B-21 Raider bomber
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Politics & World News Editor
James Mitchell has covered US and UK politics for over a decade, with a focus on elections, foreign policy, and Capitol Hill. He breaks down complex political stories into clear, fast analysis.
