Ties between the Royal Australian Armed Force (RAAF) and the US Air Force were further strengthened when the leaders of the two air forces signed a Joint Vision Statement in September 2022.
Australia’s new Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Robert Chipman traveled to Washington, DC and met with US Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General Charles Q. Brown Jr. to sign the joint statement.
“The relationship between the US and Australia dates back more than 100 years,” US Air Force’s Brown Jr said.
“Signing the joint vision statement represents another step in the long-term, enduring commitment we have to the future and to the security of our two countries,” Brown Jr added.
The signing came months after the US sent five of its $2 billion B-2 stealth bombers to train with the RAAF F-35s.
In total, six B-2s have visited Australia’s Base Amberley in 2022, with one aircraft touching down in March 2022 before the previous deployment of five began in July 2022. It is the US’ biggest ever deployment of the B-2 jet to Australia.
In August 2022, US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall visited Australia’s capital, Canberra, where he indicated to press that if Australia requested them, the United States would consider providing Australia with B-21 Raider long-range bombers.
