DoD Buzz reports that the Air Force is going to slim the B-1 Lancer force down by 6 aircraft to a total of 60 B-1s in service.
The reason the Air Force says it is cutting the B-1 is to save 357 million dollars over the next 5 years. What I personally am wondering is, with the ability to pulverize terrorists that the B-1 has shown, why is the B-1 force being cut? As anyone who has any knowledge of current events has seen the increasing tensions between China and the U.S., why would an excellent long range bomber like the B-1 with a range of almost 7,500 miles be cut at a time when it is needed in both the Pacific and Afghanistan? The Air Force in my opinion is being extremely shortsighted in slimming down the strategic bomber force from it's Cold War high down to just, 85 B-52s, 20 B-2s and 66 B-1Bs.
Photo Credit: Ellsworth AFB
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