The 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth AFB, S.D., has added 260 aircraft maintainers to its ranks since 2009 to help take care of its aging B-1 bombers and increase their availability rates. “The changes we made have all been positive,” said Gen. William Fraser, Air Combat Command boss, when discussing this issue during his visit to Ellsworth last week. He added, “I think we’re on the right path and once we get all of the ‘faces in the spaces,’ then get the people trained, I have no doubt that we’ll see a positive trend [to] increase aircraft availability.” B-1s continue to be stressed by a high operational tempo, including frequent deployments to Southwest Asia to support operations in Afghanistan. They have been a workhorse in the war theater, providing armed overwatch. (Ellsworth report by TSgt. Nathan Gallahan)
The Pentagon has concluded a new agreement to buy laser-guidance kits that turn rockets into drone-killing weapons. BAE Systems and the Defense Department announced a framework deal of up to seven years for 25,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System guidance kits annually for the U.S. military.