The Air Force on Monday revealed its long-range plan to eventually jettison its supersonic B-1 and stealthy B-2 bombers earlier than planned while keeping the venerable B-52, an aging Cold War workhorse that first flew in 1954 and was last built in 1962, flying into the 2050s.
The Air Force confirmed that it plans to send its two newer bombers into early retirement, but keep the B-52 in the inventory well past its 100th birthday.
“With an adequate sustainment and modernization focus, including new engines, the B-52 has a projected service life through 2050, remaining a key part of the bomber enterprise well into the future,” said Gen. Robin Rand, Air Force Global Strike Command commander, in a statement issued by the Air Force.- READ MORE
[give_form id=”79809″] [divider][/divider]Defense Secretary James “Mad Dog” Mattis has been at the helm at the Pentagon for just over a year, and already America has set another record the military can be proud of: The most guided bombs dropped by a single plane in a 24-hour period in the country’s history.
According to Fox News, a B-52 Stratofortress managed to set the record during bombing runs in northern Afghanistan.
The plane, which had been fitted with a conventional rotary launcher — an upgrade that involves replacing the massive-but-aging bomber’s cruise missile racks with platforms for smart bombs — dropped 24 guided bombs.
Lest one bomb per hour seem a bit paltry to you, consider that these guided munitions were specifically targeted at major Taliban sites.
The tactical strikes were part of a 96-hour bombing campaign that started over the weekend. – READ MORE
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