The U.S. Air Force changed its plans regarding future fate of B-1B Lancer and B-2 Spirit bomber fleets. Instead of retiring them in early 2030s, they want to keep them in service longer in the context of B-52 modernization as well as future start of mass production of new sixth-generation B-21 Raider bombers.
As Air And Space Forces Magazine reports, such a decision is connected with two factors. First, B-1B Lancer and B-2 Spirit bombers proved themselves as effective machines during Operation Epic Fury in iran. Second, the largest defense budget in U.S. history in 2027 of as much as one and a half trillion dollars allows the service to be, as strange as it may sound, less flexible and not choose between one and the other, because funds are now much more.
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It's known that $342 million was allocated for maintaining operation and modernizing the B-1 bomber fleet over five years from 2027. As of today, the U.S. Air Force has 44 B-1 bombers in its active inventory, which have serious readiness problems at less than 50%. They will be kept in service at least until 2037.
Many times more funds will be allocated for B-2 Spirit bombers, as much as $1.35 billion over the same five years. This is considering there are more than twice fewer of these aircraft in service than B-1s less than two dozen.
However, unlike B-2, where there are clear service timeline plans, specific terms aren't named for B-1. U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command emphasized that B-2s will be operated as long as there's need for these bombers, even after newest B-21 Raiders are adopted.
Former B-52 pilot and ex-Deputy Secretary of Defense, bomber specialist Mark Gunzinger emphasized that B-2 is currently the only fully combat-ready stealth bomber we have. Frankly, long-range strike capability is one of our armed forces' most significant shortcomings.
Regarding other aircraft the U.S. Air Force submitted for retirement last year, it's actually also noteworthy that the service is now not so critical about the number of aircraft they want to retire.
In the 2027 budget request, obsolete F-22 Block 20 versions are absent, although earlier they actively tried to retire them, as well as several dozen F-15C/Ds. Additionally, three A-10 attack aircraft squadrons will remain in service, which will serve until the 2030s.
However, next year retirement of U-2 Dragon Lady reconnaissance aircraft is planned for conceptual reasons. However, it's not excluded that the U.S Congress will block such plans.
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