Posted on 05/03/2018 9:17:34 PM PDT by Texas Fossil
WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- The Air Force announced that the B-21 Raider will replace B-1 Lancer and B-2 Spirit aircraft at three existing bomber bases beginning in the mid-2020s.
The Air Force selected Dyess Air Force Base, Texas; Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota; and Whiteman AFB, Missouri, as reasonable alternatives to host the new B-21 aircraft. Using the current bomber bases will minimize operational impact, reduce overhead, maximize re-use of facilities, and minimize cost, Air Force officials said.
"Our current bomber bases are best suited for the B-21," said Secretary of the Air Force Heather A. Wilson. "We expect the first B-21 Raider aircraft to be delivered in the mid-2020s."
Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, and Minot AFB, North Dakota, will continue to host the B-52, which is expected to continue conducting operations through 2050.
"We are designing the B-21 Raider to replace our aging bombers as a long-range, highly-survivable aircraft capable of carrying mixed conventional and nuclear payloads, to strike any target worldwide," said Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David L. Goldfein.
The Air Force will make its final B-21 basing decision following compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act and other regulatory and planning processes. That decision is expected in 2019.
Although the first B-21 are expected in the mid-2020s, the Air Force doesn't plan to retire the existing bombers until there are sufficient B-21s to replace them. The Air Force hasn't determined which location will receive the aircraft first.
Please tell us more on the gas tax repeal, it will happen because of the malfescence Or repeal? What is the mechanism? You didn’t mention CALPER’s, I take it that will add to the implosion. Note the B-21 will be built in CA, so they still get a lions share of its revenue. Some smart cookies @ Northrup, I have had the pleasure of meeting them.
I'm sure politics played a role in the selection of these bases, but the primary reason was that these bases are inland, and should we get caught with our pants around our ankles, a surprise SLBM attack would still allow the crews to exit the O Club or BX, get to their planes and take off.
For instance, the closest body of water to Ellsworth is Hudson Bay.
Hope you voted for Bruce Kreitler for city council! Full disclosure- he’s my brother.
Problem is, the 2015 formed National Background Investigation Bureau (NBIB) has been grounded to a halt in people playing politics fighting over the organization. Because of that, over 700,000 security clearances are held up. Companies, even the military, can now only hire those with current clearances. Northrup Grumman, the B-21 contractor, cannot get enough people due to lack of NBIB to clear people. Many projects, including the B-21, are and will continue to be significantly delayed due to lack of clearances.
BTW, NBIB was a great idea, but because Obama never had any adults in charge in his entire administration, NBIB has been in childish chaos from day one. Trump needs to step in fast.
And, of course, when these new birds someday make their last flight, ever, to Davis-Monthan, the pilots will catch a ride home on a B-52. :)
Unacceptable. Swamp creature babies?
“Swamp creature babies?”
The worst kind: Those with power to affect people in real ways.
I didn’t know about these adopted swamp kids...
“DEEP STATE – SHADOW GOVERNMENT REVEALED: SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE”
https://aim4truth.org/2018/01/03/deep-state-shadow-government-revealed-senior-executive-service/
video link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajMRNSsvUPc
Free thread:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3619582/posts
I still remember videos of that smiling idiot Bill Clinton when they were chopping the wings off of moth balled B52’s in the desert somewhere for one of those meaningless treaties he got suckered into. I wonder how many B52 air frames that simpleton actually ruined. Now that is what I call a war crime.
The B-21 is being built in Palmdale, CA.
They should move the Manufacturing to a Free Red State.
Disclaimer: I am also behind Enemy Lines as I write this.
Lived in Spfld MO for 10+ yrs and saw it twice! Never did get up to Whitemans so they came to us!
The company I was with did a lot of work at Whiteman in in the surrounding area. I have been on the flight line. They don’t like civilians, even with clearance, to be able to view the rear shrouding. Riflemen will be there to be sure you don’t get to that quadrant when they are on the ground.
Whiteman AFB is just off 50 Hwy which is paralleled by I-70. The morning before we hit we hit Iran, I watched two of them come out of Whiteman in the pre-dawn twilight as I was driving down I-70 to another project. It was all I could do to not mention it on FR that morning.
Because of the fly by wire and odd control surfaces, their flight can only be described as funky and weird during low elevation maneuvers.
“Because of the fly by wire and odd control surfaces, their flight can only be described as funky and weird during low elevation maneuvers.”
In 2009, I think, I saw a flock of birds moving in slow motion, rising, gliding down, and as they got closer, I realized they were huge. Must have been whooping cranes? Have no idea but they were the most graceful birds I have ever seen fly.
I bet the B-21 if given enough space would be the same.
side note, I would have had to pull over if I saw them. Almost broke my neck one day near a base.
The bombers cut up during the Clinton administration were the early models with the tall tails, the D, E, and F versions. They were not suited for the type of combat we were planning as the tall tails had too much stress on them for low level penetration.
I think the terrible part was the mothballing and destruction of the G models (water burners) and these were the backbone of our nuclear deterrence and Bush 2 allowed them to be destroyed.
We now have fewer than 100 B-52H models left in the active inventory.
I read that they were cutting up all or most of the ‘G’ models, around 150.
I don’t know what the authorization is. Sorry.
Yes, that name is something that needs to be quietly expunged from our memory.
It is a beauty. And the essence of clean lines.
Sorry.
I worked for a company based in Amarillo, TX for almost 20 years (another similar one for about 14), the company in Amarillo was 105 years old when it closed. It closed because 20 years before, it bought a similar operation in CA. The CA division never made a profit for the 20 years the TX company owned it. It lost more than the company in TX made (last year it was in business the company in TX made over 1 million in profit.) Both companies are gone, bankrupt, because of the insanity of the CA company and the state.
I hate them (CA POLs) for it.
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