On Friday, a U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer swing-wing bomber from the 7th Bomb Wing, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas landed in Poland. This marked the first time a B-1B has ever landed in Poland, demonstrating U.S. commitment to allies and partners, and stability in the Baltic Region. The flight included the first ever hot-pit refuel of a bomber aircraft in Europe. “Hot pitting,” or refueling the aircraft while the engines are on and the crew remains in the cockpit, drastically reduces refueling times so that bombers can more rapidly return to the skies. In addition to this historic first, the […]
B1B
A recent Boeing news release has offered new details about the demonstration of the B-1B’s external weapons carriage capabilities. On Wednesday, the American plane-maker press release said that the demonstration validates that the B-1 is capable of delivering future ordinance outside the aircraft. During the Dec. 4 demonstration, the test team at Edwards Air Force Base in California loaded an inert, unpowered Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile on an external pylon and released it on the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. Conducted by the Air Force Materiel Command and in partnership with Boeing, the external weapons demonstration informs U.S. Air Force […]
On 6 December, the U.S. Air Force has confirmed that supersonic B-1B Lancer bombers returned to the Indo-Pacific region for a Bomber Task Force deployment, conducting operations out of Andersen Air Base, Guam. The 28th Bomb Wing, Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota, deployed bombers from the 37th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, in order 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, according to a press release issued Sunday by Pacific Air Forces Public Affairs. “These missions enable our crews to maintain a high state […]
Russian MiG-31 and Su-35 fighter jets intercepted U.S. Air Force B-1B strategic bombers over the Bering Sea and escorted the planes until they turned away from the Russian border, the National Defense Control Center told Thursday. According to the military, on October 21, Russian radars detected two B-1B bombers along with a refueling tanker aircraft operating over the neutral waters of the Bering Sea. “MiG-31 interceptors and Su-35 fighters from the Air Defense Forces on duty in the Eastern Military District escorted two U.S. Air Force B-1B strategic bombers over the Bering Sea,” the ministry wrote in a Russian-language caption that […]
Two US B-1B Lancer strategic bombers have returned to Andersen Air Force Base in Guam to carry out bilateral Bomber Task Force (BTF) operations alongside allies, partners and joint forces with the Pacific Air Forces. The Pacific Air Forces confirmed on Friday that two B-1Bs and 170 airmen with the 37th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, 28th Wing, from Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota had arrived in Guam to conduct a variety of training missions. The two strategic bombers were observed conducting a flyover soon before landing at Andersen AFB on July 17. The base last hosted B-1B bombers of the 9th Expeditionary […]
The Pacific Air Forces Public Affairs has announced that B-1B Lancer bombers assigned to the 37th Bomb Squadron were deployed to Guam. According to a recent service news release, approximately 170 members and two B-1s deployed to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, as part of a Bomber Task Force deployment, demonstrating the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s continuing commitment to allies and partners in the region. The Stripes reported that before arriving on Guam, the bombers conducted intercept training over the Sea of Japan with F-15J fighter jets belonging to the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force. B-1s were last deployed to Guam in May […]
The U.S. Department of Defense has contracted L3Harris Technologies to repair of the AN/ALQ-184 electronic countermeasures system for the U.S. Air Force’s B-1B Lancer bombers. The contract, announced Monday by the DoD, is worth more than $70 million and covers the repair of 154 national stock numbers applicable to the integrated AN/ALQ-161A electronic countermeasures system designed specifically for the B-1B bomber aircraft. Work will be performed in Amityville, New York, and is expected to be completed June 5, 2025, according to a DoD press release. – Advertisement – The AN/ALQ-161A system is designed to detect and counter all modes of radar […]
The U.S. Air Force has announced that two B-1B Lancer bombers assigned to the 9th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron have completed a 24-hour mission that included a large force exercise. Air Force officials said B-1B aircrews completed a 24-hour mission 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. “The 9th EBS deployed to Guam from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, along with 200 Airmen assigned to the 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess AFB, Texas, as part of a Bomber Task Force and is […]
The U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces has announced on Wednesday that two B-1B Lancers from the 28th Bomb Wing, Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, fly over Sweden for first-time. The service said B-1s have flown over Sweden to integrate with Swedish Jas 39 Gripen fighter jets while conducting close-air support training with Swedish Joint Terminal Attack Controller ground teams at Vidsel Range. Sweden is not a NATO member but is a partner country. In 2014, Sweden signed a host country agreement with NATO allowing for the allied forces to conduct joint training exercises in the country. “Long-range […]
Europe 19:15 GMT 06.05.2020Get short URL Two of the US Air Force’s B-1B Lancer supersonic bombers flew from South Dakota to the Baltics to participate in NATO drills earlier this week, including live-fire drills just miles from the Russian border. It was just the latest globetrotting flight by the heavily overworked planes in recent weeks. ‘No Target is Too Far Away’ Earlier this week, two Lancers flying from Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota paid a visit to the Baltic Sea for drills with several NATO partners, according to a Wednesday news release by US Air Forces in Europe and […]