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B-1B bomber caught fire while taxiing after landing April 4 at an air base in Southwest Asia. USAF said the aircrew safely evacuated the aircraft, and the fire was contained. A board of inquiry has been appointed to investigate the incident. This is the second B-1B ground incident since March 7 when a Lancer was damaged when it rolled into two emergency vehicles after taxiing after landing at Anderson AFB, Guam. It is the third bomber mishap already this year when factoring the B-2A that crashed shortly after takeoff Feb. 23 at Andersen. Speaking of aircraft accidents, another occurred April 4 as an MQ-1 Predator ran off of the runway while landing at Balad AB, Iraq, the Air Force said.
The emphasis on speed in the Pentagon’s newly unveiled slate of acquisition reforms may come with increased near-term cost increases, analysts say. But according to U.S. defense officials, the new weapons-buying construct provides the military with enough flexibility to prevent runaway budget overruns in major programs.
