The B-1 is being used for maritime Drug Interdiction

For almost a decade the USAF has been flying B-1's out of Dyess as well as B-52's / E-3 / and JSTARS to interdict maritime drug traffic in the Gulf of Mexico and other bodies of water.

The Bone is using its Sniper to scan vast areas of water and then coordinates the information through a variety of sources. The ability to refuel int he air and spend hours on station is proving invaluable as well as helping to train the crews.

www.thedrive.com...

its a pity they cannot take a page from Clancy's Clear and Present Danger and drop a few JDAMS

a reply to: FredT

Equally fascinating is this article that talks about how the Pentagon is using its decade old lessons that it has learned in the war on drugs and going after Narcos' to hunt terrorists in today world motherboard.vice.com...

a reply to: FredT

This is good training for the crews when they start with LRASM.

All the while the CIA is smuggling in their own drugs in C-130s from Afghanistan.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: FredT

This is good training for the crews when they start with LRASM.

Yeah i agree because you are talking about having them discriminate targets that do not want to be found, are acting like a regular merchant ship, and in a pretty crowded body of water. Things a warship in a time of war would be doing. Plus if you factor in the increasingly common stealth ship designs this exercise is a no brainier

nation.time.com... Kind of spendy per hour and a waste of resources.

a reply to: Plotus

They'd be flying the hours anyway. They have to fly a certain amount every month, and are pretty constantly flying training flights. This way they fly the hours and get useful training in.

A Mooney Acclaim will pull 2000 miles on an extended range tank of fuel.

a reply to: Plotus

And doesn't do our bomber pilots a damn bit of good. These missions are more than just "go out and find drug dealers".

originally posted by: FredT
its a pity they cannot take a page from Clancy's Clear and Present Danger and drop a few JDAMS

It's been a while, but wasn't that the book where in the beginning an F16 pilot splashed a light aircraft by slowing down behind him (barely above stall speed) and switching on his landing lights? No need for wasting valuable munitions - just flick a light switch at the right time.

originally posted by: bananashooter
All the while the CIA is smuggling in their own drugs in C-130s from Afghanistan.

There is one thing our government hates more than our constitution and that is competition.

originally posted by: Tripnman
e, but wasn't that the book where in the beginning an F16 pilot splashed a light aircraft by slowing down behind him (barely above stall speed) and switching on his landing lights? No need for wasting valuable munitions - just flick a light switch at the right time.

F-15C I believe Captain Winters code named Bronco. Later he made an appearance as a Colonel in The Bear and the Dragon.....

a reply to: FredT

Thanks. Clancy was always good for bringing characters back and showing how their careers progressed. Jack Ryan.

Wonder if they will task an F35 or two to do the same thing with its electronics packages.

originally posted by: Blackfinger
Wonder if they will task an F35 or two to do the same thing with its electronics packages.

Probably not for a long time, I think they will be going to korea and europe as fast as they are operational!

Great article!! Good training for the B-1's and JSTAR's, means long long nights for the assets they're out there helping haha.

originally posted by: FredT
a reply to: FredT

Equally fascinating is this article that talks about how the Pentagon is using its decade old lessons that it has learned in the war on drugs and going after Narcos' to hunt terrorists in today world motherboard.vice.com...

I don't do any drugs but its sad that we spend so much money and time on what is primarily a victim less crime between two consenting adults. Making it illegal and unregulated is what causes the violence.

It would be nice if they redirect most of those resources to go after violent crimes such as child molestation and the sex trade.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Plotus

They'd be flying the hours anyway. They have to fly a certain amount every month, and are pretty constantly flying training flights. This way they fly the hours and get useful training in.

The Air Force is a fundamentally useless service - always has been always will.

a reply to: FyreByrd

Sure.