B-1B Lancers returned to the Indo-Pacific region to conduct bomber task force operations, say the U.S Air Force.
“Four bombers and approximately 200 Airmen from the 9th Bomb Squadron, 7th Bomb Wing, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, deployed to support Pacific Air Forces’ training efforts with allies, partners and joint forces; and strategic deterrence missions to reinforce the rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific region. Three B-1Bs flew to Andersen AFB while one split off and flew down east of Japan to conduct training with U.S. Navy assets operating in the region before heading to Andersen AFB.”
“Deployments like this allow our Airmen to enhance the readiness and training necessary to respond to any potential crisis or challenge across the globe,” said Col. Ed. Sumangil, 7th BW commander, in a news release.
“It also provides a valuable opportunity to better integrate with our allies and partners through joint and combined operations and exercises.”
The B-1 can carry the largest conventional payload of both guided and unguided weapons in the U.S. Air Force.
The last time the B-1s were deployed to the region was in 2017.
What a waste, they have so little life left in these aircraft, and they are putting them on 33 hour long missions to be more unpredictable. Seems a bit daft to me.
They retired the 17 aircraft in worse condition from the fleet. the rest are going to be rehabbed and they’re going to to be a major part of the new push to arm the bomber fleet with ASMs. It would be daft TO retire them,
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-china-missiles-specialreport-us/special-report-u-s-rearms-to-nullify-chinas-missile-supremacy-idUSKBN22I1EQ
Cheers!
Hi Helions, Great to hear from you. I agree, I was meaning that they should be preserved as much as possible for when they are needed. That’s a great article, it’s a great explanation of how US and Asian allies should be able to contain the PLAN within the first pacific island chain, which completely encloses the entire Chineses coastline. They must feel very threatened, scared and paranoid. I hope decision makers can take that into account. This would not be acceptable to the US if the situation was reversed. Just imagine if China was deploying stealth missiles to the… Read more »
Here they are again on another mammoth journey… https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2020/05/06/ellsworth-b-1s-fly-to-baltics-train-with-danish-fighters/
Bone’s swansong ??? Underappreciated and underinvested aircraft. Carrys the ordnance of two B-52s.
Just a point the B1 quote carrys the largest payload of conventional weapons in the USAF i thought the B52 did just that.
Moot point really
It’s worth an informed commentator explaining why 60 y/o aircraft are refurb’d over the Bones.