A B-1B Lancer strategic bomber has crashed Monday (August 19, 2013) in a remote area near Broadus, Montana, during a routine training flight. The bomber took off from Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota. Col. Kevin Kennedy of the 28th Bomb Wing said the two pilots and two weapons system officers ejected from the aircraft before the bomber crashed. The Air Force officials will conduct a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the accident.
The Boeing B-1B Lancer is a four-engine variable-sweep wing strategic bomber, which entered service with the US Air Force in 1986. It features reduced radar signature and a top speed of Mach 1.25. All B-1B bombers operated by the USAF are currently deployed with two units the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota and the 7th Bomb Wing stationed in Dyess Air Force Base in Texas. The B-1B is expected to continue to serve into the 2030s, according to USAF officials.
