B-1 to Replace Aircraft in Rose Parade, Bowl Game Flybys

The B-2 Spirit fleet will undergo an operational stand-down for its entire fleet following an emergency landing earlier this month. 

The incident occurred after an in-flight malfunction, damaging the aircraft after it collapsed a gear and skidded off the runway. The incident wasn't too dissimilar from a previous gear collapse incident that happened in 2021, where worn hydraulic systems and gear springs failed upon landing. That plane's stiff $10 million repair cost was a hard pill to swallow, and may be tempting USAF brass to go easy on the B-2 fleet while the B-21 program comes to fruition. Whiteman Air Force Base, in Missouri, is home to the entirety of the USAF B-2 fleet, operated by the 509th Bomb Wing. In a statement, Master Sergeant Beth Del Vecchio clarified that the safety pause was for all B-2's in USAF service - all 20 that remain.

“Whiteman AFB will have a safety pause of B-2 flights in order to inspect the fleet following the incident. At this time, there is no speculated end date for the safety pause. Every incident is unique and we are currently evaluating what went wrong and how we can mitigate future risk. We will resume normal operations once a safety investigation has been concluded.”

For fans of the upcoming Rose Bowl, the planned B-2 flyby will be replaced with another strategic bomber from the Air Force fleet, the B-1B Lancer.

FMI: www.whiteman.af.mil