Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Senior Airman Alexis Anderson, 379th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, services oil on a B-1 B Lancer during a post-flight inspection Jan. 11 at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. Inspections are done to every B-1 after a mission. Anderson is deployed from at 307th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Terrica Y. Jones/Released)B-1B Lancer sets rotational records before leaving downrange
                        
                        
                        Senior Airman Alexis Anderson, a 379th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, services oil on a B-1B Lancer during a post-flight inspection Jan. 11, 2016, at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. Inspections are done to every B-1 after a mission. Anderson is deployed with the 307th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit from Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Terrica Y. Jones)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

B-1B Lancer sets rotational records before leaving downrangePublished Jan. 14, 2016
                    
                    By Tech. Sgt. Terrica Y. Jones
                    
                    
                    379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
            **AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar (AFNS) --**A B-1B Lancer that achieved rotational milestones is scheduled to leave Al Udeid Air Base soon for a six-month hiatus for aircraft modifications stateside.
The B-1 has been under the operational support of the 379th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron,and has set records during the July-January rotation with military members from the 307th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota.
“This rotation has supported a total of 490 sorties and enabled 4,850 bombs to be dropped in six months,” said Capt. Abraham Smith, the 379th EAMXS officer in charge. “When the B-1 leaves this will be the first time since 2001 we won’t have B1s in the area of responsibility.
“Our mission has been to provide safe and reliable combat aircraft to the bomb squadron,” Smith continued. “We’ve supported more bombs dropped in one month than any other B-1 unit.”
The previous Lancer unit supported 1,068 bombs dropped in one month, while the 379th EAMXS has supported 2,224 bombs dropped, he added.
Accomplishments of this magnitude do not come easy, he said, and being able to maintain such a high operational tempo does not come without challenges.
“Hundreds of thousands of manpower hours have been put into the past six months to keep these aircraft running and it’s been a very challenging and an exhausting deployment. However, we’ve found ways to make it enjoyable,” Smith said.
He also added that getting parts for the aging aircraft is a big challenge, but he went on to say that nothing is more satisfying than when they overcome the challenges and fix it. He also said that being able to get the aircraft turned around and back in the fight in a timely manner brings a lot of satisfaction to the team.
“We try to be prepared for the unexpected, but we can never predict what is going to go wrong on the aircraft,” said Staff Sgt. Daryl Ackerman, a 379th EAMXS crew chief. “However, we combine our knowledge and resources to make sure the aircraft get fixed.”
Staff Sgt. Matthew Kwawegen, a 379th EAMXS lead crew team chief, added, “Some challenges we faced were the weather, trying to encourage the new Airmen to stay positive, making sure they pay attention to detail, and staying focused.”
In order for the B-1 to continue its daily operations there are teams of Airmen that ensure the aircraft’s capabilities are mission ready.
“We train, certify and evaluate all the load crews,” Kwawegen said. “When we deploy as a unit we evaluate the load crews throughout the deployment, as well as load and do the maintenance to ensure everyone is loading safely and efficiently.”Al Udeid AB 



AFCENT 



Qatar 



B-1B Lancer 



B-1 



Ellsworth AFB 



AFGSC

Related Links
        B-1B Lancer
                                Dec. 16, 2015
                                Carrying the largest conventional payload of both guided and unguided weapons in the Air Force inventory, the multi-mission B-1 is the backbone of America's long-range bomber force. It can rapidly deliver massive quantities of precision and non-precision weapons against any adversary, anywhere. Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                SecAF, CSAF, CMSAF begin Indo-Pacific trip focused on ACE
                    
                    DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fightInnovation
                F-16s arrive to be modified for autonomous testing
                    
                    AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalistsMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil