Early reports out of Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota indicate all four members of the crew of a B1-B Lancer bomber are safe after ejecting from the aircraft. The accident occurred about 5:50 p.m. local time today (Jan. 4) as the aircraft was attempting to land at Ellsworth as part of a routine training mission, according to a statement from the base’s public affairs office.
According to news reports, Ellsworth is home to the U.S. Air Force 28th Bomb Wing, which includes 27 B-1B Lancers. The base is one of only two worldwide that hosts the B-1B. As of 2021, the Air Force counted its B-1B fleet at 45 of the swept-wing, supersonic aircraft. They are scheduled to be progressively replaced after 2025 by the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider.
