USAF Plan: Keep B-1 Credible Through New Pylons, Stress Testing, and More
Aug. 7, 2023 | By John A. Tirpak
The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center has no set date in mind for retiring the B-1 Lancer, but it does has a multi-pronged approach for keeping the famed bomber credible until the B-21 comes online, focused on:
Capability for new weapons
Brig. Gen. William Rogers, program executive officer for bombers at AFLCMC, told reporters at the Life Cycle Industry Days conference July 31 the Air Force has dropped its 2018 bomber plan that called for the B-1 and B-2 to retire in the early 2030s, and instead will keep those aircraft viable until the stealthy B-21 is ready to replace them.
The new plan is called a “Bomber Capability Roadmap” and directs investment to combating “obsolescence and diminishing manufacturing sources, which is a key concern of ours on those aging platforms,” Rogers said.
“It’s a common problem across the entire Air Force fleet as aircraft get older,” he noted.
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/usaf-plan-keep-b-1-credible/
