The Rockwell B-1 Lancer is a four-engine supersonic variable-sweep wing, jet-powered heavy strategic bomber was developed by Rockwell International, now Boeing Defense And Space Group, and is the US Air Force long-range strategic bomber.The B-1B became operational in 1986 about 95 currently in service. The B-1B has the largest internal payload of any current bomber.
It was first envisioned in the 1960s as a supersonic bomber with Mach 2 speed, and sufficient range and payload to replace the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress. It was developed into the B-1B, primarily a low-level penetrator with long range and Mach 1.25 speed capability at high altitude. It is commonly called the "Bone" (originally from "B-One").
Designed by Rockwell International (now part of Boeing), development was delayed multiple times over its history due to changes in the perceived need for manned bombers. The initial B-1A version was developed in the early 1970s, but its production was canceled, and only four prototypes were built. The need for a new platform once again surfaced in the early 1980s, and the aircraft resurfaced as the B-1B version with the focus on low-level penetration bombing. However, by this point, development of stealth technology was promising an aircraft of dramatically improved capability. Production went ahead as the B version would be operational before the "Advanced Technology Bomber" (which became the B-2 Spirit), during a period when the B-52 would be increasingly vulnerable. The B-1B entered service in 1986 with the USAF Strategic Air Command (SAC) as a nuclear bomber.
B-1B has two unique skills to break into the enemy`s defense area, Supersonic speed and stealthy body. The B-1B has a concinnity fuselage.
Design
The B-1 has a blended wing body configuration, with variable-sweep wing, four turbofan engines, triangular fin control surfaces and cruciform tail. The wings can sweep from 15 degrees to 67.5 degrees (full forward to full sweep). Forward-swept wing settings are used for takeoff, landings and high-altitude maximum cruise. Aft-swept wing settings are used in high subsonic and supersonic flight. The B-1's variable-sweep wings and thrust-to-weight ratio provide it with better takeoff performance, allowing it to use more runways than previous bombers. The length of the aircraft presented a flexing problem due to air turbulence at low altitude. To alleviate this, Rockwell included small triangular fin control surfaces or vanes near the nose on the B-1. The B-1's Structural Mode Control System rotates the vanes automatically to counteract turbulence and smooth out the ride.
Unlike the B-1A, the B-1B cannot reach Mach 2+ speeds; its maximum speed is Mach 1.25 (about 950 mph or 1,530 km/h at altitude), but its low-level speed increased to Mach 0.92 (700 mph, 1,130 km/h). The speed of the current version of the aircraft is limited by the need to avoid damage to its structure and air intakes. To help lower its radar cross section (RCS), the B-1B uses serpentine air intake ducts (see S-duct) and fixed intake ramps, which limit its speed compared to the B-1A. Vanes in the intake ducts serve to deflect and shield radar emissions from the highly reflective engine compressor blades.
Cockpit
The aircraft is operated by four crew: pilot, co-pilot, defensive systems operator (DSO) and offensive systems operator (OSO).
The DSO station is equipped with the interface for AIL Systems, Inc's ALQ-161 defensive avionics system and a Honeywell multifunction display linked to the aircraft's offensive avionics system (OAS). The OSO station is equipped with two Honeywell multifunction displays linked to the OAS.
Rockwell Collins received a contract in February 2004 to upgrade the displays to 5in×7in colour multifunction displays using active matrix liquid crystal (AMLCD) technology.
 |
| AN/APQ-164 Passive electronically scanned array |
The B-1's main computer is the IBM AP-101, which is also used on the Space Shuttle orbiter and the B-52 bomber. The computer is programmed with the JOVIAL programming language. The Lancer's offensive avionics include the Westinghouse (now Northrop Grumman) AN/APQ-164 forward-looking offensive passive electronically scanned array radar set with electronic beam steering (and a fixed antenna pointed downward for reduced radar observability), synthetic aperture radar, ground moving target indication (GMTI), and terrain-following radar modes, Doppler navigation , radar altimeter, and an inertial navigation suite.[80] The B-1B Block D upgrade added a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver beginning in 1995.
The B-1's defensive electronics include the Eaton AN/ALQ-161A radar warning and defensive jamming equipment, which has three sets of antennas; one at the front base of each wing and the third rear-facing in the tail radome. Also in the tail radome is the AN/ALQ-153 Missile Approach Warning (Pulse-Doppler radar). The ALQ-161 is linked to a total of eight AN/ALE-49 flare dispensers located on top behind the canopy, which are handled by the AN/ASQ-184 avionics management system. Each AN/ALE-49 dispenser has a capacity of 12 MJU-23A/B flares. The MJU-23A/B flare is one of the world's largest infrared countermeasure flares at a weight of over 3.3 pounds (1.5 kg). The B-1 has also been equipped to carry the ALE-50 Towed Decoy System.
Also aiding the B-1's survivability is its relatively low radar cross-section (RCS). Although not technically a stealth aircraft in a comprehensive sense, thanks to the aircraft's structure, serpentine intake paths and use of radar-absorbent material its RCS is about 1/50th of the similar sized B-52's RCS; this is about 26 ft² or 2.4 m², roughly equivalent to the RCS of a small fighter aircraft.
 |
| B-1B forward bomb bay fitted with a rotary launcher |
 |
| Nose of B-1 with the Sniper XR pod hanging below |
The B-1B is no longer armed with nuclear weapons but is capable of carrying the AGM-86B air launch cruise missile (ALCM) and the AGM-69 short-range attack missile.
The aircraft has three internal weapon bays and six external hardpoints under the fuselage. The maximum internal weapons payload is 75,000lb and maximum external weapons payload is 59,000lbs.
The B-1B weapons payload is: 24 GBU-31 joint direct attack munition (JDAM) at one time or a combination of 24 mk84 2,000lb general purpose bombs, eight mk65 naval mines, 84 mk82 500lb general purpose bombs, 84 mk62 500lb naval mines, 30 CBU-87, -89, -97 cluster munitions, 30 CBU-103, -104, -105 wind-corrected munitions dispensor (WCMD), 24 AGM-158 joint air to surface stand-off missiles (JASSM) or 12 AGM-154 joint stand-off weapons (JSOW).
The Boeing JDAM uses global positioning system / inertial navigation guidance for delivery of the 1,000lb mk83, 1,000lb BLU-110, 2,000lb mk84 and 2,000lb BLU-109. It has a range up to 15 miles and strike precision within 13m.
The Lockheed Martin JASSM is a long-range precision standoff cruise missile with digital jam-resistant global positioning system (GPS) / inertial navigation guidance and infrared seeker.
JASSM weighs 1,020kg (2,250lb) and has a range over 370km (200nm) and a dual-mode penetrator and blast fragmentation warhead.
JASSM-ER has a range of 926km (500nm). The B-1B successfully launched the first JASSM-ER missile in June 2006.
The Raytheon JSOW AGM-154A carries BLU-97 combined effects bomblets and is in full-rate production. The blast / fragmentation unitary variant AGM-154A-1 which incorporates the 500lb BLU-111 (mk82) is under development.
The AGM-154B carries BLU-108 sensor fused weapon (SFW) submunitions and has completed engineering and manufacturing development (E&MD).
AGM-154C (JSOW-C) entered full-rate production in February 2005. It incorporates an uncooled imaging infrared (IIR) terminal seeker and tracker and has a BROACH dual-stage blast / fragmentation and/or penetrator warhead, developed by BAE Systems. JSOW has an unpowered range of 22km (12nm) low-altitude launch, 130km (70nm) high-altitude launch and a powered range of up to 325km (175nm).
B-1B aircraft were fitted with the AN/AAQ-33 Lockheed Martin Sniper ATP advanced targeting pod in June 2008. Sniper includes a mid-wave FLIR (forward-looking infrared), dual mode laser, CCD-TV, laser spot tracker and IR marker. Sniper gives the B-1B the capability for self- identification of targets and bomb damage assessment. The first series of flight tests with the new pod took place in February 2007. The B-1B equipped with the Sniper ATP made its first operational deployment in August 2008 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Navigation and communications
The aircraft has Honeywell ASN-131 radar altimeter, Kearfott inertial navigation system, Northrop Grumman (Teledyne Ryan) APN-218 Doppler radar velocity sensor (DVS), Honeywell APN-224 radar altimeter, Rockwell Collins ARN-118 TACAN tactical air navigation system and Rockwell Collins ARN-108 instrument landing system (ILS).
The communications suite includes ASC-19 AFSATCOM satellite communications, Rockwell Collins long range ARC-190 HF radio, Honeywell KY-58 secure voice line-of-sight encryption device, Rockwell Collins ARC-171 UHF line-of-sight communications radio system, ARR-85 secure or open line-of-sight system and APX-101A IFF (identification friend or foe).
B-1B engines
The B-1B is equipped with four 30,000lb thrust class F101-GE-102 turbofan engines from General Electric. An in-flight refuelling receptacle allows refuelling from a KC-10 or a KC-135 tanker.
Performance
The B-1 Lancer can fly at a maximum speed of 1,448km/h. Its service ceiling is 9,144m. The aircraft weighs around 86,182kg and its maximum take-off weight is 216,363kg.
Variants
B-1A
The B-1A was the original B-1 design with variable engine intakes and Mach 2.2 top speed. Four prototypes were built; no production units were manufactured.
B-1B
The B-1B is a revised B-1 design with reduced radar signature and a top speed of Mach 1.25. It was otherwise optimized for low-level penetration. A total of 100 B-1Bs were produced.
B-1R
The B-1R is a proposed upgrade of existing B-1B aircraft. The B-1R (R for "regional") would be fitted with advanced radars, air-to-air missiles, and new Pratt & Whitney F119 engines. This variant would have a top speed of Mach 2.2, but with 20% shorter range.
Existing external hardpoints would be modified to allow multiple conventional weapons to be carried, increasing overall loadout. For air-to-air defense, an Active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar would be added and some existing hardpoints modified to carry air-to-air missiles. If needed the B-1R could escape from unfavorable air-to-air encounters with its Mach 2+ speed. Few aircraft are currently capable of sustained speeds over Mach 2.
Specifications (B-1B)
Data from USAF Fact Sheet, Jenkins, Pace, Lee except where noted
General characteristics
Crew: four (aircraft commander, copilot, offensive systems officer and defensive systems officer)
Payload: 125,000 lb (56,700 kg) ; internal and external ordnance combined
Length: 146 ft (44.5 m)
Wingspan:
Extended: 137 ft (42 m)
Swept: 79 ft (24 m)
Height: 34 ft (10.4 m)
Wing area: 1,950 ft² (181.2 m²)
Airfoil: NACA69-190-2
Empty weight: 192,000 lb (87,100 kg)
Loaded weight: 326,000 lb (148,000 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 477,000 lb (216,400 kg)
Powerplant: 4 × General Electric F101-GE-102 augmented turbofans
Dry thrust: 14,600 lbf (64.9 kN) each
Thrust with afterburner: 30,780 lbf (136.92 kN) each
Fuel capacity, optional: 10,000 U.S. gal (37,900 L) fuel tank each in 1–3 internal weapons bays
Performance
Maximum speed:
At altitude: Mach 1.25 (721 kn or 830 mph or 1,335 km/h) at 50,000 ft or 15,000 m altitude
At low level: Mach 0.92 (700 mph or 1,100 km/h) at 200–500 ft or 61–152 m altitude
Range: 5,100 nmi (5,900 mi; 9,400 km)
Combat radius: 2,993 nmi (3,444 mi; 5,543 km)
Service ceiling: 60,000 ft (18,000 m)
Wing loading: 167 lb/ft² (816 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 0.38
Armament
Hardpoints: six external hardpoints for 50,000 pounds (23,000 kg) of ordnance (use for weapons restricted by arms treaties) and three internal bomb bays for 75,000 pounds (34,000 kg) of ordnance.
Bombs:
84× Mk-82 Air inflatable retarder (AIR) general purpose (GP) bombs
81× Mk-82 low drag general purpose (LDGP) bombs
84× Mk-62 Quickstrike sea mines
24× Mk-84 general purpose bombs
24× Mk-65 naval mines
30× CBU-87/89/CBU-97 Cluster Bomb Units (CBU)
30× CBU-103/104/105 Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser (WCMD) CBUs
24× GBU-31 JDAM GPS guided bombs (Mk-84 GP or BLU-109 warhead)
15× GBU-38 JDAM GPS guided bombs (Mk-82 GP warhead)
48x GBU-38 JDAM (using rotary launcher mounted multiple ejector racks)
48x GBU-54 LaserJDAM (using rotary launcher mounted multiple ejector racks)
24× AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW)
96× or 144× GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb GPS guided bombs (not fielded on B-1 yet)
24× AGM-158 Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM)
24× B61 or B83 nuclear bombs (no longer carried)
Avionics
1× AN/APQ-164 forward-looking offensive Passive electronically scanned array radar
1× AN/ALQ-161 radar warning receiver and defensive jamming equipment
1× AN/ASQ-184 defensive management system
1× Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod (optional)