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Air Force B-1B Lancers return to Al Udeid after 2-year absence

April 3, 2018
AUAB Welcomes Back the B-1 Lancer

It's a bird! It's a plane! This #tailtuesday we welcome the B-1 back to Team Al Udeid! #B1 #bomber #lancer #AUAB Ellsworth AFB | Air Force Global Strike Command | Air Force Global Strike Command (U.S. Air Force video by Staff Sgt. Aubrey Griffin)

Posted by 379th Air Expeditionary Wing on Tuesday, April 3, 2018

Two B-1B Lancers from Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota landed at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on Saturday.

The bombers are replacing the B-52 Stratofortress, U.S. Air Forces Central Command said Monday in posts on Facebook and Twitter.

The B-52s flew more than 1,800 sorties and dropped almost 12,000 weapons against the Islamic State and the Taliban since they themselves replaced the B-1 in 2016.

“The Bone is back!” AFCENT said in its social media posts.

The Bone is Back!

The Bone is back! Two B-1B Lancers from Ellsworth AFB, S.D., arrive at Al Udeid AB, Qatar, March 31. The B-1 returns to the USCENTCOM AOR to replace the B-52 Stratofortress, which flew 1,800+ sorties and dropped nearly 12,000 weapons against ISIS and Taliban targets since 2016. United States Air Force Gen. David L. Goldfein Heather Wilson U.S. Central Command Air Force Global Strike Command Ellsworth AFB

Posted by U.S. Air Forces Central Command on Monday, April 2, 2018

AFCENT commander Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian on March 30 flew one of the B-52’s final combat missions before it departed, AFCENT said in a tweet Monday.

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AFCENT Commander Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian flew one of the final combat missions for the B-52 March 30 before the Stratofortress left the Middle East. (AFCENT)
AFCENT Commander Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian flew one of the final combat missions for the B-52 March 30 before the Stratofortress left the Middle East. (AFCENT)

The B-1 last deployed to the Middle East in July 2014, to support operations in Afghanistan. Soon afterwards, however, the war against ISIS erupted and Lancers began carrying out missions against the militant group in Iraq and Syria.

About

Stephen Losey covers Air Force leadership and personnel issues as the senior reporter for Air Force Times.

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