When President Nixon took office he reinstated the AMSA programme, which became the B-1A in 1969, when an official requirement was issued. Among the respondents was North American Rockwell (just Rockwell after 1973), which proposed an aircraft with a variable-geometry wing to offer high supersonic performance, but with the ability to lift a heavy fuel and weapon load from relatively short runways. It also featured an escape capsule in which the four-person crew could eject. This design was chosen for development.
First flight
On 23 December 1974 the first of four B-1A development aircraft took to the air. The flight tests proceeded relatively smoothly, but the whole programme was called into question again following the defection to Japan in 1976 of Victor Belenko in a MiG‑25. Belenko’s description of a ‘super-Foxbat’ that had lookdown/shoot-down capability (the MiG-31) cast doubts as
to whether the B-1A would be any more survivable in Soviet airspace than the B-52. Soon after he entered office, President Carter announced the termination of the B-1A programme in June 1977. What was not widely known at the time was that, shortly after, he had also authorised the development of what would become the B-2 Spirit. However, the stealthy B-2 would be many years in development and the B-52 could not be expected to survive in Soviet airspace. Therefore, in October 1981 President Reagan reinstated the B-1, with a requirement for 100 B-1B aircraft.
Optimised for low level
There were significant changes introduced to the design. The Mach 2 high altitude requirement was reduced to around Mach 1.25, but low-level speed was increased to Mach 0.92. Most importantly, Rockwell engineers incorporated various low-observable technologies to greatly reduce the radar signature of the aircraft, while a powerful electronic warfare
One of the key attributes of the Lancer is its extraordinary low-level performance and agility, as graphically demonstrated here. The view also highlights the three weapon bay sections in the central fuselage.
Equipped with a Sniper pod, a B-1B gets airborne from Dyess AFB. The fleet is expected to remain operational to around 2038, with upgrades enhancing the aircraft’s weapons repertoire and connectivity.
suite was developed to further enhance survivability. Two of the B-1As were modified to act as B-1B prototypes, entering flight test in March 1983. The first production B-1B flew on 4 September 1984, and all 100 had been delivered by May 1988. In October 1986 the B-1B achieved initial operational capability, but only in the nuclear strike role, armed with freefall weapons. The capacious weapon bays could carry
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a huge conventional load, but at first this was not employed. By 1991 some of the fleet could carry 500-lb (227-kg) Mk 82 bombs, but training with this weapon did not begin until July, too late for the B-1 to participate in Desert Storm. The end of the Cold War brought with it a major transformation for the B-1B fleet. The nuclear mission ended, and by 1995 all nuclear wiring had been removed from the
aircraft. In the meantime, the US Air Force implemented a rolling Conventional Munitions Upgrade Program (CMUP) that turned the B-1B into a highly capable conventional bomber. Early steps increased the free-fall weapons repertoire, and during this period the B-1B saw its first action during the December 1998 Desert Fox ‘mini-campaign’ against Iraqi air defence installations. CMUP Block D was the most
B-1B Weapon loading options
84 x 500lb (227‑kg) Mk 82 or Mk 62 Quickstrike low-drag generalpurpose bombs or mines.
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The three weapons bays provide a range of loading options. The aircraft was designed with a moveable bulkhead between the forward two bays so that it could be reconfigured to carry cruise missiles, which were longer than the standard bay. As well as weapons, the bays can also accommodate auxiliary fuel tanks to extend the already impressive range at the expense of bombload.
2
Forward bay
important step in the transformation process, adding GPSguided JDAM bombs to give a precision attack capability. The first JDAM was successfully dropped in February 1998, and early Block D-modified aircraft were used over Serbia and Kosovo during the 1999 Allied Force operations. By 2001 the B-1 had matured as a JDAM bomber, and it was heavily employed during the Enduring Freedom operations over Afghanistan. It
30 x CBU-87 Combined Effects Munitions, CBU‑89 Gator anti-tank and anti-personnel mines, CBU-97 Sensor Fused Weapons; all weigh from 950-1,000 lb (431‑454 kg).
3
24 x GBU-31 JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition); precision attack weapon guided by GPS, nominal weight of 2,000 lb (907 kg).
4
Intermediate bay
Right: The B-1 has a rotary launcher option that allows it to carry and launch mixed weapons. Here a variety of GPS-guided weapons from the JDAM family are shown.
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played its part alongside B-2s and B-52s in the brief opening strategic attacks, flying from Diego Garcia. Although there were few fixed targets left to attack, B-1Bs continued to be of inestimable use as ‘on-call’ bombers. The precision capability of the JDAMs, combined with the aircraft’s long endurance, allowed it to loiter over the battle area, waiting for pop-up targets. Thus, the B-1 had completed its transformation from 30 x WindCorrected Munitions Dispensers); cluster munitions equipped with inertial navigation system updated by GPS data.
5
a Cold War nuclear warrior to a platform for 21st century close support. Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 saw the B-1 involved heavily again, and the fleet has continued to be upgraded, adding the Sniper targeting pod to its repertoire. See AiRcraft Data Cards Boeing B-52H
Stratofortress
Northrop Grumman B-2A Rockwell B-1B
Spirit
Lancer
12 12 SECTION 12
07 82 CARD 89
SECTION
CARD
SECTION
CARD
12 x AGM-154 JSOW (Joint Stand-Off Weapon); mediumrange precision weapon; weighs 1,065-1,095 lb (483‑497 kg) at launch.
Aft bay
Moveable buklhead
Above: Conventional Bomb Modules are pre-loaded clips that are winched into the B-1B’s bomb bay. They provide maximum bomb carriage but with reduced weapons versatility.
Two B-1Bs release flares during a low-level training exercise. In 2003 around a third of the fleet was mothballed to release funds for further upgrades for the remainder, but a year later the value of the B-1B was such that seven were reinstated. The current fleet stands at 67 aircraft.
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
5
6
6
6
24 x AGM-158 JASSM lowobservable stand-off cruise missile used for long-range attack missions; launch weight around 2,000 lb (907 kg).
Below: The B-1B Conventional Bomb Modules (CBM) work on the ‘gun clip’ principle, whereby CBMs can be loaded into the B-1B’s weapon bays with bombs already in place. This CBM is fitted to carry 10 weapons in a diagonal configuration.
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Inside the B-1B Lancer bomber
70 All-moving tailplane hydraulic
actuators 71 Starboard tailplane panel 72 Fin leading-edge HF antenna 73 Fin-tip ECMS and rendezvous beacon antennas 74 Tail navigation and strobe lights 75 Rudder 76 Rudder rotary actuators 77 Rudder SCAS unit 78 RFS/ECMS antenna 79 Port all-moving tailplane 80 Static dischargers 81 Tail radome 82 RFS/ECMS transmitting antennas 83 Defensive system avionics equipment racks
Rockwell B-1B Lancer cutaway key 1 Radome 2 Multi-mode phased array radar
antenna
3 Low observable shrouded scanner
mounting and tracking mechanism
4 AN/APQ-146 offensive radar system
equipment bays
40 Weapons bay door actuating
mechanism 41 Retractable spoiler panel 42 Port leading-edge antenna panel 43 RFS/ECMS transmitting antennas 44 Defensive avionics system equipment
5 Pitot heads 6 Foreplane hydraulic actuator 7 Structural mode control system
(SMCS) foreplane
8 Nose undercarriage stowed position 9 Control column 10 Rudder pedals 11 Air refuelling receptacle 12 Windscreen panels 13 Fully-shrouded instrument panel 14 Cockpit roof escape hatches 15 Co-pilot’s station 16 Weber ACES II zero‑zero ejection
seats, all positions Pilot’s station Crew toilet Conditioned air supply ducting Ventral boarding ladder Defensive Systems Operator’s (DSO) station 22 Systems operator’s display and control consoles 23 Observer’s folding seat 24 Offensive Systems Operator’s station (OSO) 25 Cockpit roof ejection hatches 26 Glideslope antenna 27 SATCOM antenna 28 Avionics racks, port and starboard, flight control and communications equipment 29 Avionics cooling air ground connection 30 Electrical equipment bay 31 Defensive avionics systems transmitting antennas 32 Forward fuselage integral fuel tanks, total system capacity 202,254 lb (91742 kg) 33 Weapons bay movable bulkhead 34 Weapons bay fuel tank, typical, various sizes up to 2,903 US gal (10989 litres) 35 Chaff/flare launchers 36 RFS antenna, port and starboard 37 Starboard leading-edge RFS/ECMS equipment bay
Spoiler panels/lift dumpers Starboard single-slotted flap Wing fully-swept position Wing shroud panels Main undercarriage wheel bay Flight control system avionics equipment 63 Undercarriage bay roof fuel tank 64 Air supply ducting 65 Rear weapons bay rotary launcher 66 Weapons bay surround integral fuel tank 67 Starboard engine exhausts 57 58 59 60 61 62
84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91
Rear fuselage fuel tank Fuel tank pressurant nitrogen bottle Rear weapons bay Main engine mounting beam Fuel cooling heat exchanger Fuel cooler ventral air scoop Hydraulic system reservoirs Auxiliary power unit (APU)
17 18 19 20 21
96 Variable-area afterburner nozzles 97 Port wing fully-swept position 98 Port single-slotted flap 99 Flap screw jacks 100 Port spoiler/lift dumper panels
Fixed portion of trailing edge Fuel jettison Port navigation and strobe lights Leading-edge slat segments Slat screw jacks and guide rails Slat drive torque shaft Port wing integral fuel tank Drive shaft linkage to flap torque shaft Intake duct anti-radar reflection baffles Wing pivot bearing Port wing sweep actuator Variable-wing sweep sealing horn Anti-collision strobe light Engine nacelle bifurcated air intake AGM-69 SRAM missiles, eight on rotary launcher 116 Iron bomb carrier, maximum of three internally 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115
Weapons bay doors Rotary weapons carrier/launcher Wing pivot box integral fuel tank Electron beam-welded titanium wing pivot box carry-through structure 49 Blended sidebody integral fuel tank 50 Wing sweep actuator hydraulic drive unit 51 Wing sweep control screw jack 52 Starboard wing integral fuel tank 53 Fuel system vent and feed piping 45 46 47 48
117 Mk 82 500-lb (227-kg) HE bombs, 28 118 119 120 121 122
per carrier Mk 36 mine CBU-89B cluster bomb B61 free-fall nuclear weapon B83 free-fall nuclear weapon ALCM eight-round carrier/rotary launcher
92 Airframe-mounted engine accessory
equipment gearbox
38 UHF/IFF antenna 39 Upper fuselage cable and systems
ducting
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54 Seven-segment leading-edge slats 55 Starboard navigation and strobe lights 56 Fuel jettison vent
93 FADEC engine controls 94 Engine bleed air pre-cooler 95 General Electric F101-GE-102
68 Tailplane automatic flight control
system equipment
afterburning engines
69 Fin/tailplane support structure
20
123 AGM-86B ALCM 124 AGM-86B ALCM deployed
configuration