Ride or Die: The B-1B Lancer Bomber Might Be the Best Ever
What You Need to Know Right Now: The U.S. Air Force is reactivating and modernizing retired B-1B Lancer bombers to bridge its bomber fleet gap amid delays in the B-21 Raider program. This spring, the Air Force replaced a damaged B-1 with "Lancelot," a restored airframe from the boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
-Recent upgrades, including carrying the 5,000-pound GBU-72/B bunker-buster bomb, improved avionics, and Link 16 communications, bolster the B-1B's lethality and adaptability. Some consider the B-1B Lancer the best bomber ever for its adaptability and long service.
-Originally developed to counter Cold War threats, the B-1B’s reactivation underscores its importance as a stopgap measure while the Air Force addresses its dwindling bomber fleet and prepares for the Raider's eventual deployment.
As the Air Force faces delays in the B-21 Raider program, reactivating and modernizing B-1Bs helps bridge the gap in the service’s bomber fleet.
The U.S. Air Force’s B-1B bomber first flew several decades ago. Considering its age, it seems strange that the service continues to pull some of these airframes from the boneyard for operation.
This spring,........
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