Why The US Air Force Replaced 33 Feet Of A B-1B Bomber's Spine 3 Months Early

In May, one Rockwell B-1 Lancer left Wichita State University's National Institute for Aviation Research with a new 33-foot section welded into its upper spine. The airframe overhaul was completed three months ahead of the one-year deadline the US Air Force had authorized for the job. The team behind it attributed much of the speed to the engineering aid provided by the jet's 'digital twin.'