On the surface, it appears to be business as usual on Andersen Air Force Base. The base that North Korea has specifically threatened repeatedly over the years and more recently threatened just two days ago.
Guam – The Andersen Air Force base opened it’s gates to local media today (Fri.) to show first-hand the B1-B Lancer bomber. It’s bombers like the Lancer launched from Andersen Air Force base to participate in exercises near the Korean border that have drawn threats from North Korea specifically aimed at Andersen Air Force base in particular and at the island of Guam as a whole.
On the surface, it appears to be business as usual on Andersen Air Force Base. The base that North Korea has specifically threatened repeatedly over the years and more recently threatened just two days ago.
“The majority of the people here, we live here. So, I live here, my wife lives here, my two daughters live here, my son lives here. We go to Tumon bay my son they go to school here we go to Jeff’s Pirates Cove so we obviously, we have a vested interest here and we feel safe here right now,” said Deputy Operations Group Commander Lt. Col. Chris Occhiuzzo.
Military officials gave a tour of the airstrip and flight line where two B1-B Lancers took off from the air force base this morning (Fri.). Military officials never disclose the movements of assets so there is no telling where the planes were headed or what their mission was.
The only thing they could say was that they are always in a constant state of readiness. “We operate on a daily basis. This airfield is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week,” said Deputy Operations Group Commander Lt. Col. Chris Occhiuzzo adding, we are training everyday all the time just so we’re ready.”
Andersen has maintained a continuous bomber presence that consists of a constant rotation of B52’s B1’s and B2’s since 2004. Over the years bombers launched from Andersen Air Force Base have flown near the North Korean border during various exercises. North Korea has responded to these flights over the years with numerous threats against Andersen Air Force base in particular and against the island of Guam as a whole. Threats made against both the military and the roughly 160 thousand civilians that live here.
