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B-1B Lancer Rockwell
B-1B Lancer
Intercontinental Strategic Bomber

DESCRIPTION:
Following cancellation of the B-70 Valkyrie program, the US Air Force began searching for a new design to replace the aging B-52. The result was the original B-1 program, but it was cancelled in 1977 by President Carter after four prototypes of the B-1A had been built. The Reagan Administration later renewed the B-1 program in 1981 resulting in the heavily modified B-1B Lancer.
The B-1 design includes variable-geometry wings and is designed to evade enemy radar by flying low altitudes at near-sonic or supersonic speeds. The B-1 was one of the first aircraft designed with serious thought and effort put into its stealth characteristics. With its buried engines, curved body, and radar-absorbant materials, the B-1B has a radar cross-section less than 1/100th that of the B-52.
The B-1B was originally built as a nuclear-armed replacement for the B-52. In this capacity, the plane's three bomb bays were compatible with SRAM and ALCM nuclear missiles as well as free-fall nuclear bombs. Under the terms of the Stategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) between the US and Russia, however, the B-1B is no longer capable of delivering nuclear weapons. The Lancer has instead been re-equipped as a conventional bomber to operate alongside the B-52H Stratofortress.
Compatability with a wide array of conventional missiles and bombs has been developed under the Conventional Mission Upgrade Program. Early phases of this effort gave the B-1B the ability to carry a large payload of Mk 82 500-lb or Mk 84 1,000-lb unguided bombs, cluster munitions, and the GPS-guided GBU-31 JDAM. Later upgrades have further added compatability with the latest generation of precision guided weapons such as the Wind-Corrected Munitions Dispenser (WCMD), Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW), and Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM).
A total of 100 examples of the B-1B were originally built, but about a third of the fleet has now been retired in a cost-saving measure. By 2003, 60 aircraft were in service with the Air Force while those operated by the Air National Guard had been retired. The remaining fleet is to be further upgraded with new avionics, radar enhancements, more capable communications systems, and cockpit modifications to improve reliability. The upgraded B-1B fleet will probably continue in service until around 2025.
Data below for B-1B
Last modified 04 October 2007

HISTORY:

First Flight (B-1) 23 December 1974
(B-1B) 18 October 1984

Service Entry

1 October 1986

CREW:

four: pilot, copilot, 2 electronic warfare/weapon systems officers

ESTIMATED COST:

$283 million [1998$]

AIRFOIL SECTIONS:

Wing Root unknown

Wing Tip unknown

DIMENSIONS:

Length 147.00 ft (44.81 m)

Wingspan unswept: 136.71 ft (41.67 m)
swept: 78.21 ft (23.84 m)

Height 34.83 ft (10.36 m)

Wing Area 1,950 ft² (181.2 m²)

Canard Area

unknown

WEIGHTS:

Empty 192,000 lb (87,090 kg)

Normal Takeoff unknown

Max Takeoff 477,000 lb (216,365 kg)

Fuel Capacity internal: unknown
external: unknown

Max Payload

80,000 lb (36,290 kg)

PROPULSION:

Powerplant four General Electric F101-102 afterburning turbofans

Thrust

123,120 lb (547.7 kN) with afterburner

PERFORMANCE:

Max Level Speed at altitude: 1,000 mph (1,600 km/h) at 36,090 ft (11,000 m), Mach 1.5
at sea level: 750 mph (1,205 km/h), Mach 0.99
low-level mission: 600 mph (965 km/h) at 200 ft (61 m)

Initial Climb Rate unknown

Service Ceiling unknown

Range 6,090 nm (11,265 km)

g-Limits unknown

ARMAMENT:

Gun none

Stations three internal weapons bays and fourteen external hardpoints

Air-to-Surface Missile originally up to 38 AGM-69 SRAM or 22 AGM-86 ALCM [no longer permitted under START]
up to 12 AGM-154 JSOW, up to 24 AGM-158 JASSM

Bomb originally up to 26 B28/B43 or 24 B61/B83 nuclear bombs [no longer permitted under START],
up to 84 Mk 82 GP, up to 24 Mk 84 GP, up to 24 GBU-31 JDAM, up to 30 CBU-87/89/97 cluster, up to 30 CBU-103/104/105 WCMD

Other up to 84 Mk 36 or Mk 62 500-lb sea mines, up to 8 Mk 85 sea mines

KNOWN VARIANTS:

B-1A Original design with less-refined aerodynamics but capable of Mach 2 at altitude, cancelled 1977

B-1B Production model with improved shape and better low-level performance; 100 built

EB-1B Proposal to modify B-1B airframes as stand-off electronic warfare jamming platforms to replace EA-6B Prowler jamming aircraft

KNOWN COMBAT RECORD: Iraq - Operation Southern Watch (USAF, 1998-2003)
Iraq - Operation Desert Fox (USAF, 1998)
Kosovo - Operation Allied Force (USAF, 1999)
Afghanistan - Operation Enduring Freedom (USAF, 2001-present)
Iraq - Operation Iraqi Freedom (USAF, 2003-present)

KNOWN OPERATORS: United States (US Air Force)
United States (US Air National Guard)

3-VIEW SCHEMATIC:

B-1B Lancer

SOURCES:

Bishop, Chris, ed. The Encyclopedia of Modern Military Weapons: The Comprehensive Guide to Over 1,000 Weapon Systems from 1945 to the Present Day. NY: Barnes & Noble, 1999, p. 271.

Boeing B-1B site

Bonds, Ray, ed. The Modern US War Machine: An Encyclopedia of American Military Equipment and Strategy. NY: Military Press, 1987, p. 208.

Donald, David, ed. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. NY: Barnes & Noble, 1997, p. 779, Rockwell B-1B.

Donald, David and Lake, Jon, ed. The Encyclopedia of World Military Aircraft. NY: Barnes & Noble, 2000, p. 360-361, Rockwell B-1 Lancer.

FAS B-1B site

Global Security B-1B site

Gunston, Bill, ed. The Encyclopedia of Modern Warplanes. NY: Barnes & Noble, 1995, p. 231, Rockwell B-1 Lancer.

Laur, Timothy M. and Llanso, Steven L. Encyclopedia of Modern U.S. Military Weapons. NY: Berkley Books, 1995, p. 19-23, Lancer (B-1).

Miller, David, ed. The Illustrated Directory of Modern American Weapons. London: Salamander Books, 2002, p. 26-31, Boeing B-1B Lancer.

Munro, Bob and Chant, Christopher. Jane's Combat Aircraft. Glasgow: Harper Collins Publishers, 1995, p. 196-197.

Taylor, Michael. Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory 1996/1997. London: Brassey's, 1996, p. 153-155, Rockwell B-1B Lancer.

Taylor, Michael J. H. Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory 1999/2000. London: Brassey's, 1999, p. 115, Boeing (Rockwell) B-1B Lancer.

US Air Force B-1B Fact Sheet

US Air Force B-1B Program Office

Aircraft | Design | Ask Us | Shop | Search

DESCRIPTION: Following cancellation of the B-70 Valkyrie program, the US Air Force began searching for a new design to replace the aging B-52. The result was the original B-1 program, but it was cancelled in 1977 by President Carter after four prototypes of the B-1A had been built. The Reagan Administration later renewed the B-1 program in 1981 resulting in the heavily modified B-1B Lancer. The B-1 design includes variable-geometry wings and is designed to evade enemy radar by flying low altitudes at near-sonic or supersonic speeds. The B-1 was one of the first aircraft designed with serious thought and effort put into its stealth characteristics. With its buried engines, curved body, and radar-absorbant materials, the B-1B has a radar cross-section less than 1/100th that of the B-52. The B-1B was originally built as a nuclear-armed replacement for the B-52. In this capacity, the plane's three bomb bays were compatible with SRAM and ALCM nuclear missiles as well as free-fall nuclear bombs. Under the terms of the Stategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) between the US and Russia, however, the B-1B is no longer capable of delivering nuclear weapons. The Lancer has instead been re-equipped as a conventional bomber to operate alongside the B-52H Stratofortress. Compatability with a wide array of conventional missiles and bombs has been developed under the Conventional Mission Upgrade Program. Early phases of this effort gave the B-1B the ability to carry a large payload of Mk 82 500-lb or Mk 84 1,000-lb unguided bombs, cluster munitions, and the GPS-guided GBU-31 JDAM. Later upgrades have further added compatability with the latest generation of precision guided weapons such as the Wind-Corrected Munitions Dispenser (WCMD), Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW), and Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM). A total of 100 examples of the B-1B were originally built, but about a third of the fleet has now been retired in a cost-saving measure. By 2003, 60 aircraft were in service with the Air Force while those operated by the Air National Guard had been retired. The remaining fleet is to be further upgraded with new avionics, radar enhancements, more capable communications systems, and cockpit modifications to improve reliability. The upgraded B-1B fleet will probably continue in service until around 2025. Data below for B-1B Last modified 04 October 2007
HISTORY:
First Flight	(B-1) 23 December 1974 (B-1B) 18 October 1984
Service Entry	1 October 1986
CREW:	four: pilot, copilot, 2 electronic warfare/weapon systems officers
ESTIMATED COST:	$283 million [1998$]
AIRFOIL SECTIONS:
Wing Root	unknown
Wing Tip	unknown
DIMENSIONS:
Length	147.00 ft (44.81 m)
Wingspan	unswept: 136.71 ft (41.67 m) swept: 78.21 ft (23.84 m)
Height	34.83 ft (10.36 m)
Wing Area	1,950 ft² (181.2 m²)
Canard Area	unknown
WEIGHTS:
Empty	192,000 lb (87,090 kg)
Normal Takeoff	unknown
Max Takeoff	477,000 lb (216,365 kg)
Fuel Capacity	internal: unknown external: unknown
Max Payload	80,000 lb (36,290 kg)
PROPULSION:
Powerplant	four General Electric F101-102 afterburning turbofans
Thrust	123,120 lb (547.7 kN) with afterburner
PERFORMANCE:
Max Level Speed	at altitude: 1,000 mph (1,600 km/h) at 36,090 ft (11,000 m), Mach 1.5 at sea level: 750 mph (1,205 km/h), Mach 0.99 low-level mission: 600 mph (965 km/h) at 200 ft (61 m)
Initial Climb Rate	unknown
Service Ceiling	unknown
Range	6,090 nm (11,265 km)
g-Limits	unknown
ARMAMENT:
Gun	none
Stations	three internal weapons bays and fourteen external hardpoints
Air-to-Surface Missile	originally up to 38 AGM-69 SRAM or 22 AGM-86 ALCM [no longer permitted under START] up to 12 AGM-154 JSOW, up to 24 AGM-158 JASSM
Bomb	originally up to 26 B28/B43 or 24 B61/B83 nuclear bombs [no longer permitted under START], up to 84 Mk 82 GP, up to 24 Mk 84 GP, up to 24 GBU-31 JDAM, up to 30 CBU-87/89/97 cluster, up to 30 CBU-103/104/105 WCMD
Other	up to 84 Mk 36 or Mk 62 500-lb sea mines, up to 8 Mk 85 sea mines
KNOWN VARIANTS:
B-1A	Original design with less-refined aerodynamics but capable of Mach 2 at altitude, cancelled 1977
B-1B	Production model with improved shape and better low-level performance; 100 built
EB-1B	Proposal to modify B-1B airframes as stand-off electronic warfare jamming platforms to replace EA-6B Prowler jamming aircraft
KNOWN COMBAT RECORD:	Iraq - Operation Southern Watch (USAF, 1998-2003) Iraq - Operation Desert Fox (USAF, 1998) Kosovo - Operation Allied Force (USAF, 1999) Afghanistan - Operation Enduring Freedom (USAF, 2001-present) Iraq - Operation Iraqi Freedom (USAF, 2003-present)
KNOWN OPERATORS:	United States (US Air Force) United States (US Air National Guard)
3-VIEW SCHEMATIC:
SOURCES: Bishop, Chris, ed. The Encyclopedia of Modern Military Weapons: The Comprehensive Guide to Over 1,000 Weapon Systems from 1945 to the Present Day. NY: Barnes & Noble, 1999, p. 271. Boeing B-1B site Bonds, Ray, ed. The Modern US War Machine: An Encyclopedia of American Military Equipment and Strategy. NY: Military Press, 1987, p. 208. Donald, David, ed. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. NY: Barnes & Noble, 1997, p. 779, Rockwell B-1B. Donald, David and Lake, Jon, ed. The Encyclopedia of World Military Aircraft. NY: Barnes & Noble, 2000, p. 360-361, Rockwell B-1 Lancer. FAS B-1B site Global Security B-1B site Gunston, Bill, ed. The Encyclopedia of Modern Warplanes. NY: Barnes & Noble, 1995, p. 231, Rockwell B-1 Lancer. Laur, Timothy M. and Llanso, Steven L. Encyclopedia of Modern U.S. Military Weapons. NY: Berkley Books, 1995, p. 19-23, Lancer (B-1). Miller, David, ed. The Illustrated Directory of Modern American Weapons. London: Salamander Books, 2002, p. 26-31, Boeing B-1B Lancer. Munro, Bob and Chant, Christopher. Jane's Combat Aircraft. Glasgow: Harper Collins Publishers, 1995, p. 196-197. Taylor, Michael. Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory 1996/1997. London: Brassey's, 1996, p. 153-155, Rockwell B-1B Lancer. Taylor, Michael J. H. Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory 1999/2000. London: Brassey's, 1999, p. 115, Boeing (Rockwell) B-1B Lancer. US Air Force B-1B Fact Sheet US Air Force B-1B Program Office