Posted on 06/30/2010 10:14:12 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
Last week, we wrote that the Air Force Council, the blue suiters board of directors that advises the air chief, was considering deep cuts to force structure to meet aggressive savings targets laid out by Defense Secretary Robert Gates. One option they are reportedly considering is early retirement of all 66 B-1B Lancer bombers, last delivered in the late 1980s.
Yesterday, the Lancer fleet got a hearty shout-out from new installed Afghan commander Gen. David Petraeus. “It is a great platform,” he told senators at his confirmation hearing. “It carries a heck of a lot of bombs… and it has very good intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.”
It can loiter for long periods of time in a combat-air patrol, using its Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod which contains a laser designator, 3rd Gen. FLIR and digital cameras that function well both day and night to search out insurgent movements or IED emplacers. “It is almost like having another unmanned aerial vehicle in terms of full motion video and so forth,” he said.
“So it’s not just a case of a very, very capable bomber just boring holes in the sky waiting to open the bomb-bay doors, it is also the case of a platform that’s very capable even as it is just flying around in circles.”
So take heart Lancer pilots!
Of course Petraeus isn’t just randomly throwing out compliments to aging bombers, he was prompted by Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.); the Lancer equipped 28th Bomb Wing operates out of Ellsworth Air Force Base in Thune’s state.
(Excerpt) Read more at defensetech.org ...
“Anyone who uses the term “shoutout” has a “screwloose”, IMHO.”
Someone should explain what the hell it means!
Yeah anytime I hear about a “shout out” it automatically raises my hackles.
True but the point is the Russians don’t agree that the platform type is obsolete.
Thats true too.
“...only seconds away.”
Thank you, enjoyed the thought.
Shout Out-A public expression of gratitude or recognition.
ScrewLoose-Crazy
IMHO-In My Humble Opinion
Or ScrewLoose can mean not behaving normally.
“...image of it capable of dogfighting.”
Just think of it as a multi-tactical Cruise Missile that can turn and fight.
I do not think that they are going to eliminate of the B1-B from the inventory. After General Petraeus ringing endorsement of the bomber it will be with us for a very long time. I think that the whole episode was just a trial balloon to see what was the reaction was going to be.
Remember, B1-B are used in Afghanistan.General Petraeus cannot afford to have the plane missing from his inventory.
Here is an article from Flight Journal, April 2005: Phoenix Risen: The Transformation of the Boeing B-1B that might be of interest. I couldn't find the magazine article with pictures, only the text.
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