Episode Summary

In episode 23 of the Aerospace Advantage podcast: B-1 Flight Ops: Bad to the Bone, Host John “Slick” Baum sits down with B-1 pilot Lt Col Mark “Moses” Kimball to discuss what it’s like to strap into an iconic bomber, roar down the runway, and execute a combat mission. No aircraft can match the record of the workhorse B-1, which has fought and flown non-stop over the past 20 years. In the wake of the attacks of September 11th, when America and its allies launched Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, this aircraft was at the forefront of the action. The reason for this was simple: we had few regional bases in the area. The B-1’s range and payload allowed it to conduct missions few other aircraft could match. This was especially important given how stretched thin tankers were at the time, making the attributes of the B-1 invaluable. As the conflict evolved, the demand for the B-1 never declined. The kickoff of Operation Iraqi Freedom grew the aircraft’s popularity even more. This meant the B-1 community was flying combat operations on a non-stop basis for nearly two decades. This was far from easy, but the aircrews and maintainers answered the call.

Lt Col Kimball is a U.S. Air Force military fellow at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. The views expressed in this interview are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the U.S. Air Force, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.

Credits

Host:  Lt Col John “Slick” Baum, USAF, ret.

Producer: Daniel C. Rice

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Lt Col Mark “Moses” Kimball, USAF

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