The B-1B lancer is a very impressive intercontinental long-range strategic
bomber, developed by the American company Rockwell for the United
States Air Force. The B-1B is in service since 1986.
The US Air Force has 67 of these bombers with 2 for tests. The crew consists
of a pilot who is also aircraft commander, a co-pilot and 2 weapon system
officers. The B-1B Lancer bombers are stationed on Dyess AFB and Ellsworth
AFB.
Specifications
General
Design
organisation
Rockwell
Main
secundary design organisations
GE
Production
organisaton
Primary
task
Precision
and non-precision bombing
Type
aircraft
Supersonic
long-range bomber
Specials
Verstelbare
vleugels
Length
44.5
meters
Height
10.4
meters
Wingspan
41.8
meters
Wing
surface
Aspect
ratio
Sweep
back
Dihedral
Performance
Engines
4x
General Electric F-101-GE-102 turbofan with afterburner
Background
The project for the development of the B-1A to replace the B-52 Stratofortress
started in 1970. Four prototypes have been made which could reach a
high supersonic velocity of mach 2,2. The project stopped in 1977 but
test flights remained until 1981.
In 1981 they started again with the development of the B-1 project.
The B-1, which was now designated as B-1B has large changes where of
an larger weapon load of 74000 pounds, a improved radar and a lower
radar cross section by an order of magnitude. The air inlet ducts have
also been modified, but the maximum speed as put down till approximately
mach 1,2.
The first B-1B flew in october 1984 and was delivered to the US Air
Force on Dyess AFB in June 1985. The last one was delivered on May 2,
1988. On october 1, 1986 the first B-1B Lancer became operational.
Missions
B-1 bombers were first used during Operation Desert Fox against Iraq in
1998. During Operation Allied Force in 1999, six B-1's dropped more than
20% of the total ordnance. Eight B-1's where used to support Operation
Enduring Freedom (OEF) in Afghanistan to banish the Taliban. During OEF,
they dropped almost 40% of the total bombs (more than 3900 JDAM precision
guided bombs) during the first six months. The B-1 has also been used
in the first phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.