Rockwell | |||
B-1 Lancer
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Photo:
Robert Deering 10/18/2012 National Museum of the USAF Wright-Patterson AFB (FFO) Dayton, Ohio |
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The Rockwell B-1
Lancer is a supersonic variable-sweep
wing, heavy bomber used by the United States
Air Force. It is commonly called the "Bone"
(from "B-One"). It is one of three strategic bombers in the U.S. Air Force fleet
as of 2020, the other two being the B-2
Spirit and the B-52 Stratofortress.
The B-1 was first envisioned in the 1960s as
a platform that would combine the Mach 2
speed of the B-58 Hustler with the range and
payload of the B-52, and was meant to
ultimately replace both bombers. After a
long series of studies, Rockwell
International (now part of Boeing) won the
design contest for what emerged as the B-1A.
This version had a top speed of Mach 2.2 at
high altitude and the capability of flying
for long distances at Mach 0.85 at very low
altitudes. The combination of the high cost
of the aircraft, the introduction of the AGM-86 cruise
missile that flew the same basic profile,
and early work on the stealth bomber all
significantly affected the need for the B-1.
This led to the program being canceled in
1977, after the B-1A prototypes had been
built.
The program was restarted in 1981, largely
as an interim measure due to delays in the
B-2 stealth bomber program, with the B-2
eventually reaching initial operational
capability in 1997. This led to a redesign
as the B-1B, which differed from the B-1A by
having a lower top speed at high altitude of
Mach 1.25, but improved low-altitude
performance of Mach 0.96. The electronics
were also extensively improved during the
redesign, and the airframe was improved to
allow takeoff with the maximum possible fuel
and weapons load. The B-1B began deliveries
in 1986 and formally entered service
with Strategic Air Command (SAC) as a
nuclear bomber in that same year. By 1988,
all 100 aircraft had been delivered.
In the early 1990s, following the Gulf
War and concurrent with the disestablishment
of SAC and its reassignment to the newly
formed Air Combat Command, the B-1B was
converted to conventional bombing use. It
first served in combat during Operation
Desert Fox in 1998 and again during the NATO
action in Kosovo the following year. The B-1B
has supported U.S. and NATO military forces
in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Air Force had
62 B-1Bs in service as of 2016. The B-1B is
expected to continue to serve into the 2030s,
with the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider to
begin replacing the B-1B after 2025. The
B-1s in inventory are planned to be retired
by 2036. |
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USAF Fact Sheet |