Beltway Confidential

We must address the Air Force’s bomber shortage

By Harold Hutchison
Published September 24, 2019 4:17pm ET
Add Washington Examiner on Google
We must address the Air Force’s bomber shortage
This July 24, 2012 photo provided by the U.S. Air Force shows a B-1 bomber rumbling down the flightline at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., as part of a training mission. | (Zachary T. C. Hada/AP)

At the Air Space Cyber exhibition, Gen. Timothy Ray dropped a bit of a bombshell: He revealed that the Air Force could potentially be facing a bomber shortage.

Ray pegged the state of the Air Force’s fleet of B-1B Lancers as the key issue. These are very capable bombers, which are able to carry as many as 84 500-pound bombs internally. There’s just one big problem: According FlightGlobal.com’s World Air Forces 2019, there are only 59 B-1Bs in service, along with 19 B-2A Spirits and 74 B-52H Stratofortresses.

Already a print subscriber? Click here to login/register your account

Trusted reporting.Unlimited access.

Subscribe for full access to Washington Examiner coverage, expert political analysis, and subscriber-only journalism.

Get Unlimited Access

Already a member? Log in

Cancel anytime.

Tag:

Air Force Defense