>Not out of the Woods Yet Edition
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The U.S. Air Force Keeps Pulling Old B-1B Lancer Bombers from the ‘Boneyard’
By Brent M. Eastwood Published 1 day ago
Key Points: The U.S. Air Force has revived two mothballed B-1B Lancer bombers, “Lancelot” and “Rage,” from the Davis-Monthan AFB “Boneyard” to meet operational needs and Congressional mandates.
-These aircraft underwent extensive refurbishments, including repairs to egress systems and ejector seats, ensuring their readiness for modern missions.
-The B-1B, which boasts the largest conventional payload of any U.S. bomber, will remain critical until replaced by the B-21 Raider in the 2030s.
-This success highlights the potential of restoring stored aircraft, exemplifying an innovative and cost-effective approach to sustaining airpower amidst budget constraints and escalating global threats.
How the Air Force Revived Mothballed B-1B Lancers for Active Duty
When U.S. Air Force airplanes are sent to die in storage at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona, you figure they are gone for good. But sometimes “storage” means they could come back into service someday. That is just what the Air Force is doing with B-1B Lancer bombers. The branch is pulling some of these mothballed jets back to active duty.
The “Boneyard” at Davis-Monthan, outside of Tucson, is in a prime location. The air is dry, and the conditions are warm and sunny, so there is less chance that old airplanes collect rust or that moisture fouls instruments.
Welcome Back from Inaction
The Air Force also used a type of silicon to seal the engines and gaps on two B-1Bs nicknamed “Rage” and “Lancelot.” This is called “Type 2000” storage, overseen by the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group.
Why the B-1Bs Are Needed
The B-1B Lancer has been a workhorse with a sterling combat record over the decades.
However, it will be replaced with the new B-21 Raider bomber, which will enter serial production in the late 2020s. By the early 2030s, all the B-1Bs will be gone.
Nevertheless, until then the B-1B Lancer will have an important job to do since great powers like China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran are threatening the global order. In fact, Congress requires at least 45 B-1B Lancers be in service. (cont) 1/2
https://www.19fortyfive.com/2024/12/the-u-s-air-force-keeps-pulling-old-b-1b-lancer-bombers-from-the-boneyard/
(cont)
The Story of Lancelot’s Return
Seventeen B-1s of different variants are in storage at the Boneyard. The last time the Air Force recalled the bombers back to duty, in 2004, seven were brought to life. Fast forward to 2022. A B-1B caught fire at Dyess Air Force Base in Texas.
Workers tried to save it, and 500 parts were replaced. The egress system needed extensive work with refurbished ejector seats fashioned with new rockets. After all this effort and estimating that the fire-damaged bomber would cost significant funds, the Air Force decided to send the beleaguered airplane to the Boneyard and bring Lancelot back to life.
Lancelot will undergo a renewal process at Tinker Air Force Base and eventually have a home base at Dyess. Simple Flying noted an article by an Air Force public affairs specialist about this recovery operation.
According to Colonel Michael Griffin, 10th Flight Test Squadron director of operations, “Pulling ‘Lancelot’ out of the 309th AMARG and putting it through program depot-level maintenance at Tinker will restore the aircraft to the operational units, allowing them to continue to support the nation’s call for power projection. I feel this project is important in continuing to prove the reliability of the B-1 and its use for airpower and air superiority.”
Lancelot will then be part of a fleet of jets that can carry the most significant conventional payload among all Air Force bombers.
‘Rage’ Makes a Triumphant Return
The branch wasn’t done with old B-1Bs at the Boneyard. In July of this year, a Lancer bomber called “Rage” returned to service. Rage had been in storage for three years after being retired in 2021, and it is now back in the big leagues.
A B-1B crashed at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota at the beginning of 2024, and the branch needed a bomber to take its place in accordance with the Congressional requirement.
That’s excellent news for the Air Force and should be seen as a success story to be replicated with other airplanes. There will be a new Secretary of Defense and Secretary of the Air Force in 2025. Money will be tight, and if the Air Force can take old airplanes out of storage, refurbish them, and send them back to regular duty, that would be one way to get around the cost cutters.
The Air Force Can Replicate This with Other Airplanes
The service did this in 2021 with two F-16s at Davis-Monthan. Defense News reported a creative use of the out-of-action F-16s at the Boneyard.
The Air Force is taking the mothballed F-16s and “using “digital engineering” to create an exact digital replica of the airframe and many of its major subsystems. The twin will allow the service to simulate future wear on the aircraft, maintenance, and upgrades, as well as provide a path for the service to find new manufacturing sources for F-16 parts,” Defense News wrote.
Hopefully, Rage and Lancelot will succeed similarly, helping the Air Force bombers remain steadfast and dominant during active duty. There may be more airplanes at Davis-Monthan that can replace damaged aircraft and give squadrons a new lease on life.
This is a good use of time, money, and resources for future aviation. 2/2
https://www.19fortyfive.com/2024/12/the-u-s-air-force-keeps-pulling-old-b-1b-lancer-bombers-from-the-boneyard/