Senator: About 10 Percent of B-1s are Fully Combat-Ready
7/30/2019
​––Rachel S. Cohen
Only six of the Air Force’s 61 B-1 bombers are fully mission-capable, a South Dakota senator said July 30.
The B-1 fleet is in the midst of an intensive slate of maintenance work and upgrades. Of the 61 jets, 15 are in depot maintenance and 39 aircraft are down for inspections or other issues, Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) said during a Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing for Gen. John Hyten, the US Strategic Command chief who is under consideration to become vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
In response, Hyten implored lawmakers to provide B-1 maintenance funding to reverse the fleet’s problems.
http://www.airforcemag.com/Features/Pages/2019/July%202019/Senator-About-10-Percent-of-B-1s-are-Fully-Combat-Ready.aspx
