The B-1B Lancer, an emblematic aircraft of the final decades of the Cold War, was initially engineered as a low-altitude strategic nuclear bomber to evade Soviet early warning radars. Since the conclusion of the Cold War, the B-1B Lancer has been extensively utilized in tactical bombing and close air support missions while also being modified to carry conventional munitions.
The multipurpose B-1, which carries the largest payload of guided and unguided munitions in the Air Force inventory, serves as the backbone of the United States’ long-range bombing force. It is capable of swiftly transporting vast quantities of both precise and non-precise weaponry to any location on the planet.
In addition to enhancing survivability, the B-1B’s composite wing/body configuration, variable-geometry wings, and turbofan afterburning engines provide extended range, maneuverability, and speed. In addition to takeoffs, landings, and air refueling, certain high-altitude weapon employment scenarios utilize forward wing configurations. The primary combat configuration, aft wing sweep settings, are commonly employed during high subsonic and supersonic flight to improve the maneuverability of the B-1B in low and high altitude regimes. Due to its maneuverability and velocity, the B-1B can be effortlessly incorporated into mixed force formations. When coupled with its substantial payload, superior radar targeting system, extended loiter time, and survivability, these qualities elevate the B-1B to the status of a crucial component within any joint or composite strike force.
The B-1 is an extraordinarily adaptable, multipurpose weapon system. The synthetic aperture radar of the B-1B is equipped with self-targeting and terrain-following modes in addition to the ability to detect, engage, and target moving vehicles. Additionally, an Inertial Navigation System assisted by a Global Positioning System that is extraordinarily precise permits aircrews to engage targets with a high degree of accuracy and navigate without the need for ground-based navigation aides. Combat Track II radios offer a reliable and secure means of communication that extends beyond line of sight until Link-16 is installed on the aircraft. By utilizing targeting data transmitted by the Combined Air Operations Center via Combat Track II, the aircrew can effectively and promptly engage emergent targets in a time-sensitive targeting environment. Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom served as successful demonstrations of this capability.
Complementing its low-radar cross-section, the B-1B’s onboard self-protection electronic jamming equipment, radar warning receiver (ALQ-161), expendable countermeasures (chaff and flare) system, and towed decoy system (ALE-50) comprise an integrated, robust defense system that facilitates the infiltration of hostile airspace. After detecting and identifying the entire spectrum of adversary threat emitters, the ALQ-161 electronic countermeasures system employs the appropriate jamming technique automatically or in response to operator inputs.
Recent alterations are constructed upon this underpinning. Radar capability and sustainability enhancements will result in a more dependable system, which could be further Improved in the future to incorporate autonomous target recognition and ultra-high resolution. FIDL, or completely integrated data link, functionality will be added to Link-16 communications. By integrating FIDL with corresponding cockpit enhancements, the B-1 will be equipped with a significantly more adaptable and streamlined interface, enabling its operation in the rapidly evolving integrated battlefield of the future. Several difficult-to-maintain and obsolete electronic systems are also being replaced in an effort to increase aircraft dependability.
Initially developed in the 1970s as a substitute for the B-52, the B-1A. Midway through the 1970s, four prototypes of this high-velocity, long-range (Mach 2.2) strategic bomber were constructed and evaluated; however, the initiative was terminated in 1977 prior to its implementation. Flight testing persisted until the year 1981.
The Reagan administration introduced the B-1B, an enhanced variant, in 1981. Significant modifications encompassed the incorporation of supplementary framework to augment payload capacity by 74,000 pounds, an enhanced radar system, and an order-of-magnitude reduction in the radar cross section. As a consequence of the significant alterations made to the inlet during the RCS reduction, the maximum speed was lowered to Mach 1.2.
The initial operational B-1 took off in October 1984, and Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, received the initial B-1B in June 1985. On October 1, 1986, initial operational capability was attained. Delivery of the last B-1B occurred on May 2, 1988.
In its class, the B-1B retains nearly fifty world records for velocity, payload, range, and ascent time. The B-1B was awarded recognition by the National Aeronautic Association for successfully executing one of the ten most momentous record flights of 1994. Official recognition of the latest records occurred in 2004.
In December 1998, the B-1B was initially deployed in combat to support operations against Iraq as part of Operation Desert Fox. Operation Allied Force in 1999 utilized six B-1s, of which fewer than two percent flew combat sorties despite delivering over twenty percent of the total ordnance.
In the first half-year of Operation Enduring Freedom, eight B-1s were responsible for the destruction of approximately 40 percent of the overall tonnage delivered by coalition air forces. Approximately 3,900 JDAMs were comprised of this, or 67% of the total. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, the aircraft has completed 43% of the JDAMs utilized while flying less than 1% of the combat missions.