The Air Force-designated cuts to the B-1B fleet will fall most heavily on the 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess AFB, Tex., losing four of the six bombers slated for retirement. The remaining two bombers will come from the 28th BW at Ellsworth AFB, S.D., Air Force officials told Congressional representatives of the base constituencies, reported the Rapids City Journal. By retiring six B-1s in the 66-aircraft Lancer fleet, the service intends to press the saved operational costs into modernizing the remaining airframes. Three of the aircraft marked for retirement from Dyess, home of the B-1 schoolhouse, will be training airframes, reported the Times Record of Wichita Falls, Tex. Air Force Secretary Michael Donley testified in February that the retirements would not pose an unreasonable operational risk.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III rebuffed criticism that the F-35 program has proved too costly and unreliable to serve as the viable backbone of America’s and allies' future fighter fleet on April 30. “I would not categorize the F-35 as a paperweight,” Austin said in response to questioning…