The B-1B Lancer bomber is now in “ride or die” mode

What you need to know: The US Air Force’s B-1B Lancer, originally designed as a nuclear bomber, has proven to be a critical asset in conventional warfare, especially in Afghanistan. As complex and costly production of the B-21 Raider moves slowly, the Air Force is extending the service life of the B-1B by upgrading communications and weapons systems, including adaptations for modern weapons such as the GBU-72/B bunker buster bomb.

“The ability of this proven platform to bridge potential gaps is invaluable, especially as strategic challenges mount.

– The Air Force’s commitment to maintaining the B-1B fleet reflects its role in preparedness against great power threats, with retirement now projected for 2036.

The Air Force is right to keep the B-1B Lancer flying

US Air Force B-1B Lancer long-range strategic bomber is the workhorse of the US military’s air force. Originally designed to drop nuclear bombs on Soviet targets during the Cold War, the Birds were converted into conventional attack platforms.

Despite the changed mission parameters, the Lancers were to be withdrawn from service until the Global War on Terror broke out following the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States.

At this moment Lancers has become America’s tip of the spear, especially in Afghanistan.

Now the Air Force intends to build B-21 Raider as the next long-range stealth bomb.

These are incredible birds.

But they are also extremely expensive, very complex and therefore time-consuming to create. At the same time, the Air Force cannot afford to allow critical capability gaps to arise.

And the Pentagon can’t spend the money it wants to spend to mass produce enough B-21s in the short term to make up for the loss B-1B Lancersif they are retired anytime soon (not to mention the fact that America’s weak defense industrial base cannot consistently produce large numbers of advanced B-21s).

The Pentagon chose to modernize rather than resign

Thus, the Air Force is modernizing its existing fleet of B-1B bombers. Now the plan is to retire all B-1s by 2036. However, there are many analysts, including this author, who believe that a retirement date should not be set.

After all, the B-21 Raider is unlikely to ever be mass produced to the required level due to the aforementioned production and funding issues.

To make the B-1B more updated, the Air Force is upgrading the bird’s communications system and weapons. Moreover, they allow the B-1B to adapt to new weapons systems that may be developed during the remainder of its service life.

Some B-1B platform upgrades include deployment capability bunker bomb GBU-72/B.

B-1B Lancer: Proven Platform

In fact, the Air Force is so desperate to keep Lancers flying that even pulls some mothball aggregates from the infamous cemetery. Cemetery birds are being regenerated at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona.

The Air Force should not have retired any of these birds and should be working to keep them in top fighting shape. This bird has proven itself in many conflicts, especially in GWoT.

And if a great power breaks through soon, then everyone will be ready to act. The B-21 Raider, even if it receives a full production order as the Air Force wants, will not be ready for combat. It’s the B-1B Lancer that will do the heavy lifting.

About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert, Defense Expert

Brandon J. Weichertnational interest, national security analystformer congressional staffer and geopolitical analyst who has written for The Washington Times, Asia Times and The-Pipeline. He is the author of Conquering Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacking: China’s Race to Control Life, and Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His next book, A Catastrophe of Our Own Creation: How the West Lost Ukraine, can be purchased wherever books are sold. Weichert can be followed on Twitter @WeTheBrandon.

Image credit: Creative Commons and/or Shutterstock.

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