US B-1B Bombers Land in Sweden For The First Time

Photo courtesy Swedish Armed Forces  

Defense Post: US B-1B Bombers Land in Sweden for Exercises for First Time 

US bomber jets have landed in Sweden for the first time in modern history for training exercises with the NATO invitee, the military said Wednesday. 

Sweden, which abandoned two centuries of military non-alignment to seek NATO membership last year, announced earlier this month that it was ready to host NATO troops and materiel on its soil even before it becomes a member of the alliance. 

Two American B-1B Lancers landed at Lulea-Kallax airport in northern Sweden on Monday June 19, the military said.  

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Update #1: US B-1 Bombers Land in Sweden for First Time (Air & Space Forces)  

Update #2: 1st Time In History, US B-1B Bombers Deployed To Sweden To Defend It From Potential Russian Aggression (EurAsian Times)  

WNU Editor: I guess the expectation is that even though Sweden is not a member of NATO yet, it soon will be.

The U.S. Air Force's B-1s Have A New Mission. Sinking Russian Warships

 

Forbes: U.S. Air Force Bombers Are Rehearsing Their New Main Mission—Sinking Russian Ships 

The U.S. Air Force’s 40-year-old B-1 bombers don’t have much time left. Worn out by the air campaigns over Iraq and Afghanistan, the B-1s are in line for replacement as the USAF’s new B-21 stealth bombers enter service over the next decade. 

But it’s clear what the B-1s will be doing in their final years—hauling stealthy anti-ship missiles to threaten enemy fleets. Dramatic exercises over the Black Sea in recent years have underscored the swing-wing bomber’s new maritime strike role. 

Four B-1s from the 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess Air Force Base in Texas in early October deployed to the Royal Air Force base at Fairford. In the pre-dawn darkness on Oct. 19, two of the bombers took off for what would be a 12-hour mission. 

Clutching targeting pods under their bellies, the bombers code-name Dark 01 and Dark 02 flew east over the North Sea, topped off their fuel tanks courtesy of at least one USAF KC-135 from RAF Mildenhall then winged south, bound for the Black Sea. 

The Polish and Romanian air forces—as well as a Canadian air force contingent in Romania—seized the opportunity. All three air arms sent fighters to fly alongside the B-1s. In wartime, the non-stealthy bombers might need escort to protect them from Russian fighters.  

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WNU Editor: Russian media is taking note .... US Reportedly Plans to Use Ageing B-1 Strategic Bombers Against Russian Ships in Black Sea (Sputnik).

U.S. Air Force Grounds Its Entire B1 Fleet

A B1-B bomber is seen at Dyess Air Force Base in Texas on April 19  

 Daily Mail: US grounds ENTIRE fleet of B1-B bombers after a 'massive hole' is found in the fuel system and swing-wing jets will only return to service when each one is deemed safe 

* The B1 is one of three U.S. Air Force bombers, alongside B-2s and B-52s 

 * Of 140 bombers in the USAF, 45 of them are B1-Bs, according to Flight Global

 * On April 8 a large hole was seen in filter housing, forcing grounding of the fleet

 * The B1s, first flying under Ronald Reagan, are due to be phased out by 2030 

 * The supersonic planes were used heavily in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq 

 * There have been concerns in recent years about the exhausted fleet 

 * In 2019 Congress was warned the USAF was 'beating the heck out of them' 

 * It was unclear when the B1s would be returned to fighting fitness

 * Russia has around 128 bombers, and China has 231, according to estimates 

The U.S. Air Force has grounded its entire fleet of B1-B bombers after finding a problem with the plane's fuel system. 

That takes out a third of the Air Force's entire fleet of bombers. General Tim Ryan, commander of the Global Strike Command, said that he 'ordered a safety stand-down' on Tuesday. 

The decision was made after a 'ground emergency' on April 8 at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota - one of two bases where the B1-B is currently housed. 

The other is Dyess Air Force Base, in Texas. The troubled aircraft, first brought into service under Ronald Reagan, are due to be phased out by 2030. 

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Update #1: All B-1B Bombers Have Been Grounded (Updated) (Warzone/The Drive)  

Update #2: Air Force grounds all B-1Bs after incident at Ellsworth (Rapid City Journal)  

WNU Editor: This grounding has resulted in taking out a third of the US Air Force's entire fleet of bombers.

With B-1 Bomber Flyby U.S. And NATO Sends A Message To Russia

A B-1 and two Typhoons fly over Vilnius on March 3, 2021. LITHUANIAN DEFENSE MINISTRY 

Forbes: American Bombers Blaze Toward Russia In Provocative Show Of Force 

Two U.S. Air Force B-1 bombers took off from their temporary home at Orland air base in Norway on Tuesday, looped through international air space over the Baltic Sea then turned south and barreled along the NATO-Russia frontier. 

With a pair of NATO Typhoon fighters flanking it, one of the swing-wing bombers roared at low altitude over the capitals of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. 

The dramatic sortie had at least three goals. To reassure the governments and populations of NATO’s most vulnerable member states. To demonstrate to Russia the United States’ clear intention to defend its allies. 

And, more subtly, to lure Russian forces into responding—and thus giving U.S. reconnaissance aircraft an opportunity to gather useful intelligence. 

As the B-1 flew over Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn, a U.S. Air Force RC-135V electronic eavesdropping plane—supported by a USAF KC-135 tanker—lurked near Murmansk in northern Russia, home of the Russian Northern Fleet and other major forces. 

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Update #1: U.S. bomber flies over Baltic states in show of solidarity: U.S. Air Force (Reuters) 

Update #2: US Sends Bombers From Norway In "Low Flyover" Of Baltics Near Russian Base (Zero Hedge) 

WNU Editor: There are currently four B-1 bombers based at Ørland Air Force Station, Norway .... Message to Russia? Four B-1 Bombers Have Arrived in Norway (National Interest).

The First Of 17 B-1B Bombers To Be Retired This Fiscal Year

A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer, assigned to the 37th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., flies over the East China Sea on Jan. 9, 2018. USAF photo by Staff Sgt. Peter Reft. 

Air Force Magazine: First of 17 B-1Bs Heads to the Boneyard 

The first of 17 B-1B bombers to be retired this fiscal year under a Congressionally-approved divestiture plan flew to the “boneyard” at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., on Feb. 17, Air Force Global Strike Command said. 

The aircraft was based at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., but the Air Force did not provide specifics on which aircraft retired. 

“This action will not affect the service’s lethality or any associated maintenance manpower,” AFGSC said in a press release. 

It will allow a focus of maintenance and “depot-level manpower on the remaining aircraft, increasing readiness and paving the way for the bomber fleet modernization.” 

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Update: Bye-bye Bone! USAF paving way for B-21, begins retirement of B-1 strategic bomber (Aviation Geek Club) 

WNU Editor: Everyone is getting ready for its replacement .... Watch the skies in 2022 for the first B-21 bomber flight (Defense News).

B-1 Bomber Flies For The First Time With An Externally Mounted Cruise Missile

A B-1B Lancer with a Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) flies in the skies above Edwards Air Force Base, California, Nov. 20. The flight was a demonstration of the B-1B’s external weapons carriage capabilities. (Air Force photo by Ethan Wagner) 

Sputnik: Photos: US Air Force Marks First by Flying B-1 Bomber With Externally-Mounted Cruise Missile 

In August 2019, then-US Strategic Command (STRATCOM) chief Gen. John Hyten revealed to congressional lawmakers that only a small fraction of the US Air Force’s 62 B-1B bombers were mission ready; however, over the past several months more of the Lancer aircraft have been improved as officials also seek to bolster the bomber’s weapons capabilities. 

For the very first time, the US Air Force has proven that it has the ability to fly a B-1B Lancer bomber carrying an externally-mounted stealth cruise missile, which the service successfully showed off during a November flight test, it recently confirmed. 

The successful captive-carry demonstration occurred on November 20 and involved a B-1B Lancer assigned to the service’s 419th Flight Test Squadron, part of the 412th Test Wing that serves under the Global Power Combined Test Force. 

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Update #1: In First, Air Force Flies B-1 Bomber with Externally Mounted Stealthy Cruise Missile (Military.com) 

Update #2: The Bone just got badder: Air Force flies external cruise missile on B-1 (Air Force Times)

WNU Editor: It looks like the B-1 bomber fleet is going to be flying around for a while.

The U.S. Air Force's B-1 Bomber Is Back

A B-1B Lancer, assigned to the 28th Bomb Wing, Ellsworth AFB, S.D., rests on the flightline at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam,   July 23, 2020. (Joshua Sinclair/U.S. Air Force)  

National Interest: America's B-1B Bomber Fleet Was Just Massively Updated 

 Integrated Battle Station represents an exciting leap forward in the modernization of the famous bombers. An eight-year-long project to install the Integrated Battle Station (IBS) on the B-1B Lancer fleet has been completed ahead of schedule, the United States Air Force announced. A total of sixty of the late Cold War-era aircraft went through the modification process, which began in late 2012. It was reported to be the largest and most complicated modification performed to date on the B-1 and it gave the flight deck a completely new look. 

The battle station was developed as three separate modifications that included a Fully Integrated Data Link, Vertical Situational Display Unit and Central Integrated Test System. “During development, it became obvious that modifying the same aircraft three times would be detrimental to aircraft availability and would create numerous aircraft configurations,” said William Barnes, B-1B Systems program manager at the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center. “Thus Integrated Battle Station was born.”  

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Update: Air Force Completes 8-Year B-1 Bomber Battle Station Upgrade (Military.com)  

WNU Editor: This is a surprise. This modernization program is months ahead of what was planned .... Air Force’s B-1 Bomber Fleet Months Ahead of Repair Schedule, General Says (Military.com).

Images Reveal The B-1B Bomber's Arnaments While Deployed To Guam

Warzone/The Drive: B-1B Bomber Brandishes A Belly Full Of Stealth Cruise Missiles While Deployed To Guam

The messaging is abundantly clear: U.S. bombers haven't tucked-tail and run from the region, and they stand ready to deliver a big, stealthy punch.

The "Bone" is back on the island of Guam and it brought with it the ability to deliver up to two dozen stealthy AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSMs)—the conventionally-armed bomber's weapon of choice during the opening stages of a major conflict—to America's warfighting capabilities in the Pacific. It's now abundantly clear that the Pentagon wants to make sure that friend and foe alike are aware of that fact based on the pictures the service just posted.

The photos show one of the B-1Bs currently calling Guam home having one of its three cavernous weapons bays stuffed with live JASSMs. The images showcase the fact that the B-1B can put even a peer state's most defended targets at risk from a standoff distance. The JASSM has a declared range of around 230 miles, while its enhanced successor, the JASSM-ER, can reach out and touch targets nearly 600 miles from its point of launch. The B-1B itself has an intercontinental range.

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WNU Editor: That is a lot of weapons packed in a bomber bay.

US Air Force Sends Four B-1 Bombers Back To Guam On A Temporary Deployment

A 9th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron B-1B Lancer sits on the flightline at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, May 1, 2020. © US Air Force / Senior Airman River Bruce

CNN: US Air Force sends B-1 bombers back to Guam on temporary deployment

Just a few weeks after the US Air Force ended its 16-year Continuous Bomber Presence in Guam, its B-1 bombers are back on the Pacific island. The temporary deployment program is designed to keep Washington's adversaries guessing about what US firepower will be where and when.

The US Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) announced Friday that four of the B-1s, able to carry the largest weapon payloads in the US fleet, had arrived at Andersen Air Force Base on Guam to conduct training and "strategic deterrence missions" in the Indo-Pacific region.

The B-1s, from Dyess Air Force Base in Texas, are being deployed under what the Air Force calls its bomber task force, a plan designed to move the massive warplanes to spots around the world to demonstrate "operational unpredictability," the service said in a statement.

The Air Force did not specify how long the bombers will be on Guam.

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WNU Editor: Tensions have risen appreciably between the U.S. and China in the past few days .... Senior Chinese Military Officer Calls For Ramming Attacks On U.S. Ships In The South China Sea (April 28, 2020).

More News On The US Air Force Sending Four B-1 Bombers Back To Guam On A Temporary Deployment

B-1B Lancers return to Indo-Pacific for bomber task force deployment (Pacific Air Forces)
Air Force deploys four B-1 bombers, 200 airmen to Guam for deterrence missions (Stars and Stripes)
US deploys 4 B-1 bombers & 200 airmen to Guam for ‘deterrence’ amid weeklong ‘show of force’ over South China Sea (PHOTOS) (RT)

New Upgrades Could Allow The B-1B Bomber To Carry 40 Missiles (Up From The Present 24)

The test B-1B with mockup JASSM missile mounted on an external pylon. U.S. Air Force photo by Giancarlo Casem

Popular Mechanics: The B-1B Bomber Could Bulk Up on Long-Range Weapons

Two proposed upgrades will allow the bomber to carry nearly 50 percent more missiles.

New upgrades could allow the B-1B bomber to carry 40 more missiles, up from the present 24.
The upgrades would also allow the bomber to carry a hypersonic weapon.
While an improvement, only 7 B-1B bombers are currently ready for action.

As strategic competition with Russia and China increases, the Air Force wants to max out the B-1B’s ability to carry not just more, but larger and more advanced weapons. According to FlightGlobal, the Air Force recently showed off an upgraded B-1B to partners in industry.

The bomber, belonging to the 412th Test Wing, includes an improved middle bomb bay expanded from 15 feet to nearly 22.5 feet. That’s large enough to carry a future hypersonic weapon. Hypersonic missiles travel at speeds of Mach 5 and above, giving enemy forces little time to react.

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WNU editor: Here is the bad news .... only 7 B-1B bombers are currently ready for action.

A Closer Look At The B-1 Bomber

A B-1B dropping a stick of retarded Mk 82 bombs, fitted with AIR tails.
Photo from Airforce Technology

Popular Mechanics: Why the B-1 Bomber Is Such a Badass Plane

The bomber plane that just wouldn't die.

In December of 1998, seven years after the final shots of the Persian Gulf War, American pilots found themselves once again flying combat missions over Iraq. While the U.S.’s only supersonic heavy payload bomber had been sidelined throughout the Persian Gulf War, this new mission, dubbed Operation Desert Fox, would be the B-1B Lancer’s combat debut.

The swing-wing bomber was a technological marvel capable of carrying more than two school busses worth of ordnance faster than the speed of sound while occupying less than one percent of the space on an enemy's radar compared to the B-52 Stratofortress. After decades of stop-and-go development and thirteen more years riding the bench, it was finally time to see what the Bone (as many aircrews took to calling it) could do.

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WNU Editor: The era of the B-1 is slowly coming to an end .... There Are Less Than 10 B-1 Bombers Operational In The U.S. Air Force (June 7, 2019).

There Are Less Than 10 B-1 Bombers Operational In The U.S. Air Force

A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer bomber aircraft lands at Avalon Airport, Geelong, Australia, in March 2017. A House Armed Services subcommittee is raising alarms about the dismal state of B-1 readiness, and could order the Air Force to produce a plan to fix it. (Master Sgt. John Gordinier/Air Force)

War Is Boring: Less than 20% of B-1 Lancers are operation due to neglect from the Air Force

The U.S. Air Force is slacking when it comes to the B-1 Lancer fleet, with less than ten operational units out of a total number of 62.

The fast-moving, low-level bomber was once the pride of the USAF but now problems are beginning to manifest as the Air Force neglects them in favor of newer airframe and projects.

The newest B-1 in the fleet began flying the skies 31 years ago and the plane itself has been in service since 1985.

Originally it was outfitted to deliver a nuclear payload, but over time the B-1’s role within the Air Force has changed.

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More News On Reports That There Are Less Than 10 B-1 Bombers Operational In The U.S. Air Force

Fewer Than Ten U.S. B-1 Bombers Are Ready for Action -- Popular Mechanics
The U.S. Air Force Has Very Few B-1 Bombers Ready For Combat -- National Interest
US Air Force’s Aging B-1B Lancer Fleet Suffering From Major Readiness Issues -- Sputnik
B-1 Lancer readiness is in the toilet, here’s why -- Air Force Times
B-1 Lancer bomber readiness is in the toilet — here's what the Air Force says it's doing about it -- Business Insider/Military Times

Head Of U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command: 'The Air Force's B-1B Lancer Fleet Is Breaking Down'

A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer, departs an airfield in an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia on May 17, 2018. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Enjoli Saunders)

Military.com: Overtasking of B-1 Lancer Fleet Led to Faster Deterioration, General Says

The U.S. Air Force overcommitted its B-1B Lancer bomber fleet in Middle East operations over the last decade, causing it to deteriorate more quickly than expected, according to the head of Air Force Global Strike Command.

The bombers were recently called back to the U.S. to receive more upgrades and maintenance to prepare for the next high-end fight.

"We overextended the B-1s in [U.S. Central Command]," Air Force Gen. Timothy Ray, commander of AFGSC, told reporters during a defense writers group breakfast Wednesday in Washington, D.C.

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WNU Editor: We all got a heads-up that there is a problem when this happened 3 weeks ago.... US Air Force grounds B-1 bomber fleet over safety concerns (CNN). In response this is how the US Air Force is going about to repair it .... Boeing awarded $14B for upgrades to B-1, B-52 Air Force bombers (UPI).

U.S. Air Force Has Grounded Its B-1B Bomber Fleet

Aircrew members do preflight checks on a B-1B Lancer bomber as part of an exercise at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, August 13, 2014. US Air Force/Senior Airman Zachary Hada

Warzone/The Drive: The Air Force Has Grounded Its B-1B Bomber Fleet For The Second Time In A Year

The service says that this new parachute-related issue is unrelated to the incident that prompted the stand-down in operations last year.

The U.S. Air Force has ground its B-1B Bone bomber fleet for the second time in less than a year over problems with the aircraft's emergency egress system. This is this time has to do with how the drogue parachutes that stabilize the plane's ejection seats if the crew has to punch out.

Air Force Global Strike Command, which oversees all of the service's bombers, including the B-1Bs, ordered the "safety stand-down" on Mar. 28, 2019, after uncovering the issue in at least one bomber assigned to an unspecified unit. There is no indication as yet as to how many Bones actually have a problem or how long it be before the fleet get flying again.

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More News On The U.S. Air Force Grounding Its B-1B Bomber Fleet

Air Force grounds B-1 bomber fleet to inspect ejection seats -- Military Times
Air Force Grounds B-1 Fleet Over New Precautions Concerning Ejection Seat -- Military.com
Air Force grounds B-1 Lancer bomber fleet over ejection system concerns -- Stars and Stripes
Air Force grounds B-1 bomber fleet over ejector-seat issue -- FOX News
US Air Force grounds B-1 bomber fleet over safety concerns -- CNN

The U.S. Air Force's B-1s Will Be Flying Again This Week, But They Still Do Not Know What Is Wrong With The Ejection Seats

Ground crews prepare the B-1 bombers of the 77th Bomber squadron at RAF Fairford airbase. Reuters

Business Insider: Air Force Global Strike Command says B-1 bombers are good to fly, but is still trying to figure out what's wrong with ejection seats

* Air Force Global Strike Command says a safety stand down for its B-1 bombers will end this week.
* The stand down was prompted by a B-1 making an emergency landing in Texas in May.
* An investigation is ongoing, but the Air Force says the bombers can return to normal operations.

Air Force Global Strike Command said on Tuesday that its B-1 bombers would return to flight operations this week, after the bomber fleet was ordered to take a safety stand down on June 7.

The command, which oversees the entire Air Force bomber fleet, said at the time that it had found "an issue with ejection seat components" after a B-1 made an emergency landing in Midland, Texas, at the beginning of May.

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WNU Editor:  This will provide no comfort for the crews who will have to fly the planes.

U.S. Air Force Grounds The Entire B-1 Bomber Fleet

Aircrew members do preflight checks on a B-1B Lancer bomber as part of an exercise at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, August 13, 2014. US Air Force/Senior Airman Zachary Hada

Business Insider: Air Force Global Strike Command has ordered its B-1 bombers to stand down after finding 'an issue with ejection seat components'

* Air Force Global Strike Command has ordered a safety stand-down for its B-1B Lancer bombers.
* The order comes after a Lancer made an emergency landing in Texas in May.
* The Air Force has dealt with a spate of aircraft incidents in recent months, and an investigation into the May incident is ongoing.

US Air Force Global Strike Command, which oversees the entire Air Force bomber fleet, ordered a safety stand down for its B-1B Lancer bombers on June 7, following an emergency landing by a Lancer in Texas in May.

"During the safety investigation process following an emergency landing of a B-1B in Midland, Texas, an issue with ejection seat components was discovered that necessitated the stand-down," the command said in a release. "As issues are resolved aircraft will return to flight."

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WNU Editor: Here is a closeup of the missing escape hatch that has resulted in the grounding of the entire fleet (link is here). Another pic is here.

There are about 67 B-1Bs in the fleet.

More News On The U.S. Air Force Grounding Its Entire B-1 Bomber Fleet

Air Force B-1B bombers grounded after a problem with its ejection seats -- Air Force Times
The Air Force Has Grounded All Of Its B-1Bs Over A Fault In Their Ejection Seats -- Warzone/The Drive
US Air Force B-1 bomber fleet grounded after issue with ejection seats, officials say -- FOX News
US Air Force temporarily grounds all B-1 bombers for safety reasons -- CNN
Air Force grounds B-1 bombers due to safety concerns -- Washington Times
Air Force grounds B-1 bombers after ejection seat incident -- Washington Examiner

Boeing Awarded A Patent For Turning The B-1B Into A Gunship

Boeing just patented a way to install a belly gun on a B-1B. pic.twitter.com/GKaRuwA0ho

— Stephen Trimble (@FG_STrim) May 10, 2018

Warzone/The Drive: Boeing's Been Granted A Patent For Turning The B-1B Into A Gunship Bristling With Cannons

The patent includes various concepts that would allow multiple cannon configurations to be uploaded into the B-1's weapons bays.

A B-1B Lancer 'gunship' may sound like something a kid doodles on his desk during a 4th-grade math class, but Boeing has actually been awarded a patent for just that.

U.S. Patent 9,963,231 B2 was awarded on May 8th to Boeing. It depicts a number of cannon configurations that can be stowed in a B-1B's weapons bays and extended down outside of those bays for use. Our good friend and marvelous patent sleuth Stephen Trimble of Flightglobal.com was the first to find the patent.

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WNU Editor: They are not going to convert the B-1B into a gunship, but the concept is interesting.

U.S. Air Force To Retire The B-1 And B-2 Bomber. B-52 Will Conitnue To Fly

The current B-52, B-1, B-2 bomber trio has served the USAF since 1997. USAF

Tyler Rogoway, Warzone/The Drive: USAF's Controversial New Plan To Retire B-2 And B-1 Bombers Early Is A Good One

The flying service is making the right sacrifices to ensure the B-21 Raider gets fielded in large numbers while making the B-52 all it can be.

If you are a military aviation aficionado, or even interested in military technology at all, the Air Force's new plan to retire both the swing-wing B-1B "Bone" and the B-2A "Spirit" earlier than originally planned is probably going to be upsetting to some degree. Bombers in particular capture the public's imagination and interest like no other combat aircraft—and everyone seems to have a favorite. But the harsh reality is that once the new B-21 Raider comes online in the next decade, there won't be room for four bombers in the service's portfolio, and quite honestly, there shouldn't be room for three either.

Read more ....

More News On The U.S. Air Force Planning To Retire The B-1 And B-2 Bomber

To Make Way for Future Bomber, AF Plans to Retire B-1, B-2 in 2030s -- Military.com
Air Force outlines future of bomber force -- US Air Force
US Air Force requests $156.3 billion in FY19, plans to retire B-1, B-2 fleets -- Defense News
US Air Force's new bomber will retire the B-1 and B-2 — but keep the B-52 flying for 90 years -- Business Insider
Air Force makes way for B-21 to replace B-1B, B-2 bombers -- UPI
Cold War-era B-52 bomber will outlive younger, sleeker rivals -- Fox News
US Air Force's B-21 Raider stealth bomber could phase out the B-2 Spirit and the B-1B Lancer -- International Business Times
Stealth bomber to replace B-1s and B-2s; B-52s keep flying -- Herald Net
B-21 Raider stealth bomber: USAF budget calls for early retirement of B-1, B-2 bombers -- NEWS.com.au
Air Force Plans to Retire B-2s and B-1s in Preparation for New B-21 Raider -- Popular Mechanics
The Air Force's new bomber will retire these others -- We Are The Mighty
The B-2 Bomber Is Getting Ready For Retirement -- Jalopnik
US Air Force's New Stealth Bomber to Replace B-1Bs and B-2s -- The Diplomat
Don’t Retire Our Stealth Bombers -- Jerry Hendrix, NRO

This Is How A B-1B Bomber Will Attack North Korea

Scout Warrior: How Could an Air Force B1-B Lancer Attack North Korea?

As tensions with North Korea escalate in the wake of that country’s sixth nuclear test, the United States is also flexing its military muscle.

One of the primary systems being spun up is the B-1B Lancer.

This Cold War-era bomber is a very powerful system – it carries 84 500-pound bombs internally, and also could carry another 44 externally. Should Russia try to take the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, the Lancer is very likely to take out their ground forces with weapons like the CBU-97.

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WNU Editor: It has the capacity of carrying up to 128 500-lb pounds .... in a target rich target like North Korea near the DMZ .... one can only imagine the damage that such a platform can inflict on the enemy, especially if they have a good lock on where the enemy is hiding.

B-1 Bombers Have Been Pulled From The Islamic State War

CNN: B-1 bombers pulled from ISIS fight

(CNN)One of the biggest and most dependable U.S. weapons in the battle against ISIS in Syria and Iraq will be out of the fight for the time being, the commander of U.S. Air Forces Central Command says.

Lt. Gen. Charles Brown Jr. said the fleet of B-1 Lancer bombers had been sent back to the United States from their deployment in the Mideast.

The four-engine bombers are due for upgrades to their cockpits, a process that will keep the jets stateside for an undetermined amount of time, Brown told reporters at the Pentagon via a video link from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.

The B-1s have drawn praise for the amount of weapons they can carry, their accuracy in using those weapons and their reliability during the campaign against ISIS.

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More News On The B-1 Bombers Being Pulled-Out From The ISIS War

B-1 Bombers Out of Mix for US Campaigns in Iraq, Syria -- Military.com
B-1 bombers are no longer flying over Iraq and Syria -- Washington Post
B-1 bombers removed from ISIS campaign in Iraq & Syria -- RT
US-Led Coalition Upgrading B-1 Bombers to Continue Operations Against Daesh -- Sputnik