For more than four decades, the B-1B Lancer has remained an integral part of America’s bomber fleet—carrying the Air Force’s largest conventional payload and providing precision strikes around the world. Its fame isn’t derived just from firepower, though. It’s about being flexible, tough, and being able to send a message when it needs to be heard.
That message rang out loud and clear in February 2024, when two B-1Bs took off from U.S. soil and flew a 34-hour round trip to strike targets in Iraq and Syria. The mission, authorized after an Iranian-aligned militia attack killed three U.S. service members at Tower 22 in Jordan, was historic. It was the first time American bombers had flown to attack and return from the continental United States in a combat mission without pausing elsewhere.
As Ross Hobbs described it, this wasn’t about punching back—it was about demonstrating the U.S. can launch decisive blows from home without relying on forward bases, a capability that has huge implications for deterrence.
The operation was all the more remarkable because of the conditions. Ellsworth Air Force Base, one of only two B-1 bases, had just experienced a crash that moved crews and planes to Dyess Air Force Base. Despite that disruption, Airmen on both bases coordinated seamlessly, preparing and conducting the mission flawlessly.
The actual strike released 125 precision-guided munitions against 85 targets, destroying command centers and weapons depots. Its timing, coinciding with the respectful transfer of the dead soldiers, imbued the mission with profound symbolic meaning.
Still, the B-1B community faces challenges. The January 2024 crash at Ellsworth didn’t just close the runway; it also exposed deeper cultural and leadership problems. Investigators found degraded airmanship, weak discipline, and poor risk management in key units, leading to the removal of the 28th Operations Group commander. The message was clear: accountability and high standards are non-negotiable.
The fleet itself is dwindling too. From an initial 100 planes, there are only 45 left—eliminated through retirements, crashes, and the wear of hard combat use. Maintaining these swing-wing bombers is expensive, with ongoing repairs required to repair structural fatigue and stressed parts. The Air Force is conducting large-scale fatigue tests and overhauls to extend their lifespan, but everyone recognizes the B-1 is approaching the end of its time.
That next generation is already in sight. The B-21 Raider—stealthy, nuclear-strength, and capable of manned as well as unmanned missions—will spearhead America’s next-generation bomber force. Ellsworth will be the first to take it, with Dyess coming along not long afterward. As Maj. Gen. Jason Armagost said, Modernization doesn’t wipe out the past; it builds upon it. The experience of decades of B-1 missions will inform how the B-21 is employed.
Change is also occurring in the people side of the bomber community. Pregnant aircrew members are now permitted to fly on some non-ejection seat aircraft during the second trimester of pregnancy, provided safety standards can be met.
For pilots such as Maj. Lauren Olme, this has translated to the opportunity to continue flying for some portion of her pregnancy following consultations with both military and civilian physicians. It’s a modest but significant step in the direction of retaining talent in the cockpit and encouraging career longevity.
The B-1B’s tale is about something greater than a machine—it’s about those who have flown it, repaired it, and plotted its missions. It’s about demonstrating, time and again, that America can strike at a moment’s notice regardless of distance or circumstance. Although the Raider will assume the mantle soon, the ethos and lessons of the Lancer will be ingrained in the DNA of every bomber crew that comes after. Its legacy isn’t waning—it’s merely changing.