Ellsworth bomb wing commander said B1 fleet is being restored to readiness

[TexasTowelie]

Nearly two decades of war in the Middle East has taken its toll on the nation’s aging B-1B Lancer strategic bombers, which need critical structural repair work at a time when the demand on the U.S. Air Force's bomber fleet continues to rise.

Col. David Doss, commander of the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, told a noon gathering of the Black Hills Press Club and Forum on Friday in Rapid City that the “demand for bombers has not shrunk, and the demand for the B-1B has never gone away.”

U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., said during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in July that just six of the nation’s 60 B-1B bombers are fully mission capable.

Doss commands about 21 of the 45 B-1s split between Ellsworth and Dyess Air Force Base in Texas.

Read more: https://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/ellsworth-bomb-wing-commander-said-b-fleet-is-being-restored/article_e8dd9f37-604d-57bf-a489-6f5b4792b21c.html

[saidsimplesimon]

1. Rounds is looking for a little pork?

I'm not an expert on the military value of these outdated relics. The r's are only conservative when it comes to infrastructure improvements, like roads. "Beware the M.I.C." Ike

[Wellstone ruled]

2. The Rapid City area is drying up fast.

And with the cut backs at Ellisworth through the years,the Rapid area is in mega decline.

Tourism is the only real viable Industry in that area.