USAF to Retire B-1, B-2 in Early 2030s as B-21 Comes On-Line

[raptor82]

B-1 and B-2 Fleet Retirements Will Be ‘Conditions Based’

The Air Force will retire its B-1 and B-2 bomber fleets when conditions allow, the head of 8th Air Force said

www.airandspaceforces.com

There is no set timeline for retiring the B-1 and B-2 bomber fleets, but when one is established it will be based on strategic conditions and when the  B-21 is available to succeed them, the commander of 8th Air Force said Dec. 4.

 

[FighterJock]

So will that mean that the B-1Bs will only be retired when there is enough B-21s in production? Either way it is going to be a sad day when the last B-1B gets retired eventually.

 

[Josh_TN]

So will that mean that the B-1Bs will only be retired when there is enough B-21s in production? Either way it is going to be a sad day when the last B-1B gets retired eventually.

Congress passed a law requiring 45 B-1s in service until their replacement. Current schedule is Ellsworth, Whiteman, then Dyess for B-21 base modifications, so it appears half the Bones go, then B-2s, then remaining Bones. USAF has not explicitly stated this; that’s just going by the base update schedule.