US B-1B strategic bombers have returned to the military outpost of Diego Garcia for the first time since 2006, according to monitoring website the Drive.

The aircraft arrived on the island on October 17 as part of a Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) Bomber Task Force (BTF) mission, it said.

The deployment to Diego Garcia is seen as “critical” by the US military as its continuous bomber presence on the island of Guam officially ended in April, after 16 years.