The hot pit refueling exercise suggests that as Ellsworth’s fleet is being built to accommodate the B-21 Raiders, the fleet may be temporarily relocated to Grand Forks Air Force Base so the B-1B Lancers can fly from other The air force base will perform strike missions in the future.
On October 1, the 28th Bomb Wing from Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, with the help of the 319th Reconnaissance Squadron, conducted the first hot mission of B-1B Lancer bombers in 30 years at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. Come on pit. 2024. Grand Forks was formerly a B-1B base until the bombers were relocated in 1994.
The incident tests the adaptability of the base and its airmen in the context of a possible temporary relocation of Ellsworth’s fleet of B-1B Lancers to Grand Forks Air Force Base, an Air Force release said. AFGSC (Air Force Global Strike Command) said. This is due to a runway construction project at Ellsworth Air Force Base in preparation for the future arrival of the B-21 Raider as its first operating base.
Hot pit come on U.S. Air Force operations have become the norm assetstypically performed as part of an ACE (Agility Combat Employed) operation. Hot pit refueling allows aircraft to be refueled quickly without shutting down the engines. This improves operational readiness and reduces the time required to return aircraft to operations.
#pilot B-1B Lancer hot pit refueling operations from Ellsworth AFB and Grand Forks AFB support B-1 operations 30 years after the last B-1s left Grand Forks in 1994.
Take a look:https://t.co/tuUa91U7FI@AFGlobalStrike pic.twitter.com/t7dvMJSpEZ
— United States Air Force (@usairforce) October 8, 2024
The release demonstrates how the hot pit refueling exercise encompasses all technical logistical, management and tactical operational objectives: familiarization, assessment of future B-1B bomber infrastructure, establishing coordination between Ellsworth and Grand Forks personnel, and maintaining The B-1B fleet is capable of conducting strike missions from other Air Force bases.
This is also reflected in Ellsworth Air Force Base’s first full state of readiness exercise In late September 2024, the more than ten-year exercise was dubbed Raider Reach. During the second phase of the exercise, B-1B Lancers from the 28th Bomb Wing practiced daily long-range global strike missions.
Meet Grand Forks Air Force Base Again
As mentioned, this hot pit arrives 30 years after the last B-1B Lancers left grand forks 1994. Much of the physical infrastructure such as required runway length, ordnance storage capacity and aircraft refueling equipment remains. Still, the 29th BW and 319th RS must demonstrate the ability to operate B-1Bs from non-home base locations.
“The ability to conduct hot pit testing at an alternate location demonstrates our ability to continue operating at 100 percent wherever we are located,” said the press release from Staff Sgt. Jacob Szatkowski, a dedicated crew chief of the 37th Bomb Generation Squadron. Prior to the exercise, the pilots first traveled to Grand Forks “to test equipment and cultivate relationships between the two wings for potential future cooperation.” Assuming the Air Force finalizes the transfer of the Ellsworth bomber fleet to Grand Forks The proposed plan would be necessary to demonstrate the ability of the Ellsworth Raiders and Grand Forks Griffins to “work together and complete refueling.”
official release The image shows a B-1B Lancer from the 28th BW landing at Grand Forks Air Force Base. After landing, Satkoski connected a fuel line to the bomber, and a fuel truck could be seen next to the aircraft, possibly in a dedicated area of the tarmac. The caption describes the B-1B bomber as “the backbone of America’s global precision strike force” that “can perform missions in all weather conditions and in any environment.” The headline also reminds, “The B-1B Lancer carries the largest guided and unguided weapons payload in the Air Force inventory.”
Szatkowaski added that the current scope of coordination with the 319th Reconnaissance Wing includes “familiarity with runways and airports, as well as coordination of aircraft movements.” The familiarity and acquaintance between Ellsworth and Grand Forks crews “will help break the logjam of coordination needed in the coming months.”
The success of the hot-pit refueling demonstrates how Air Force personnel keep bomber formations “ready to attack despite operating from temporary locations,” the release said. Lt. Col. Nathaniel Butler, director of the commander’s operations group, said he was “very happy to see our bombers come out here and land.” “Everything went exactly as we expected. It’s always nice to see aircraft operating exactly as required, and the fact that this base is fully designated to support our operations is a plus for us.”
The 28th BW noted that as construction work continues at Ellsworth AFB, it remains committed to paving the way for future long-range strikes. B-21 Raiderwhile continuing to maintain the B-1B’s mission readiness status.
B-1B Lancer and B-21 Raider migration
aeronaut It has been reported how Grand Forks Air Force Base once again hosts B-1B Lancers 30 years after they left the base in 1994. The former 319th Bomb Wing subsequently transitioned to a refueling and later reconnaissance role, and its name was changed. However, officials at Air Force Global Strike Command and Grand Forks Air Force Base said the temporary B-1B redeployment, scheduled to begin in February 2025 and expected to last ten months, is currently uncertain. Air Force and Space Force.
The final decision will depend on the results of an ongoing environmental review that will assess the impact of the relocation. If the transfer is confirmed, 800 Air Force personnel will accompany the bombers to provide maintenance and operational support. In addition to personnel housing and transportation, Grand Forks Air Force Base will likely need temporary hangars to house the B-1s.
The beauty is a Rockwell B-1B Lancer. Did you know that the Pentagon plans to replace BOnes with Northrop Grumman B-21 Raiders starting in 2025? All B-1Bs are expected to be retired by 2036😞 pic.twitter.com/FSINA8mPyE
— Air Power (@RealAirPower1) October 8, 2024
As previously mentioned, the reason for the planned temporary relocation from Ellsworth AFB to Grand Forks AFB is ongoing infrastructure development at Ellsworth AFB to accommodate B-21 Raider bombers. However, this decision is final as Ellsworth is Selected As the first B-21 Raider base after passing the EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) report in 2021. Whiteman and Dyess Air Force Bases in Missouri and Texas respectively were later approved designated In mid-September, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall built second and third bases for the bombers.
