B-1 Role in IS Fight Ends

The Air Force has confirmed that the B-1 Lancer bombers that had deployed to the Middle East in support of the fight against Islamic State terrorists have returned to their stateside base. CNN reported Feb. 20 that Air Force Lt. Gen. Charles Brown, the commander of air assets for U.S. Central Command, confirmed that the planes have been pulled from the theater. Based at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., the Lancers conducted 490 missions and dropped 3,800 munitions against IS targets during their six-month deployment that ended in January, CNN reported.