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Air Force grounds B-2 Spirit bombers after accident

A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer, assigned to the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, flies behind a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker, assigned to 506th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, during a Bomber Task Force mission over the Pacific Ocean, on Saturday, June 25. The B-21 is taking the black of the B-2 bomber in the Rose Bowl flyover after they were grounded this month. Photo by Master Sgt. Nicholas Priest/U.S. Air Force/UPI | <a href="/News_Photos/lp/1576e727f130c8291b39c68029bdac77/" target="_blank">License Photo</a>
A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer, assigned to the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, flies behind a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker, assigned to 506th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, during a Bomber Task Force mission over the Pacific Ocean, on Saturday, June 25. The B-21 is taking the black of the B-2 bomber in the Rose Bowl flyover after they were grounded this month. Photo by Master Sgt. Nicholas Priest/U.S. Air Force/UPI | License Photo

Dec. 20 (UPI) — The Air Force said Monday it was grounding its fleet of B-2 Spirit bombers and the runway they fly from at Missouri’s Whiteman Air Force Base of after one malfunctioned and had to make an emergency landing on Dec. 10.

Gen. Timothy Ray, head of Global Strike Command, called the decision a “safety pause” to inspect the fleet after the incident.

“At this time, there is no speculated end date for the safety pause,” Master Sgt. Beth Del Vecchio of Bomb Wing Public Affairs told Defense One. “Every incident is unique and we are currently evaluating what went wrong and how we can mitigate future risk.

“We will resume normal operations once a safety investigation has been concluded.”

The unspecified malfunction on required firefighters to extinguish flames from the aircraft after it landed but no one was hurt, according to the 509th Bomb Wing.

A statement on Friday by the 509th said the B-2 bombers would not take part in the 2023 Rose Bowl Parade and the Rose Bowl game, being replaced by the B-1B Lancer bombers from Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota.

“Our number one concern is the safety and security of our personnel and fleet. We deeply regret having to make this decision so close to the event, but we are committed to returning to Pasadena in 2024,” U.S. Air Force Col. Daniel Diehl, 509th Bomb Wing commander, said in that statement.

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