US Air Force shows off B-1B weapons expansion
SUMMARY
The 412th Test Wing, along with Air Force Global Strike Command and industry partners, held an expanded carriage demonstration with the B-1B Lancer bomber at Edwards Air Force Base, California, Aug. 28, 2019. The demonstration showcased the feasibility of increasing the B-1B weapons capacity to integrate future advanced weapons.
The two potential programs — external carriage and long bay options — would allow the B-1B to carry weapons externally, significantly increasing its magazine capacity for munitions, as well as adding larger, heavier munitions, such as hypersonic weapons.
"The purpose of the demonstration was to show that we're still able to move the bulkhead from the forward intermediate bay to the forward location; increasing the intermediate bay capacity from 180 inches to 269 inches," said Lt. Col. Dominic Ross, B-1B program element monitor, AFGSC. "Additionally, we demonstrated that we can still carry weapons externally on six of the eight hard points, which increases our overall carriage capacity."
Ross said the expanded capabilities will be conventional only, keeping the aircraft compliant with New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or New START.
Lt. Gen. Richard Clark, chief of staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration, Headquarters Air Force, along with Gen. Tim Ray, AFGSC commander, and other government and industry partners, were briefed on the potential expanded capabilities and how they would be able to adapt to future requirements.
"It increases the magazine capacity of the B-1B. Currently we can carry 24 weapons internally. Now it can be increased to potentially 40 based on what type of pylon we would create," Ross said. "This gets the B-1 into the larger weapons, the 5,000 pounders. It gets it into the hypersonics game as well."
Lt. Col. Dominic Ross, B-1B program element monitor, Air Force Global Strike Command, provides a brief on the B-1B expanded carriage at Edwards Air Force Base, California, Aug. 28, 2019.
(US Air Force photo by Giancarlo Casem)
US Air Force weapons load crews conduct a training exercise on a B-1B Lancer with inert munitions at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Sep. 13, 2018.
(US Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Ted Nichols)
US Air Force weapons load crews conduct a training exercise on a B-1B Lancer with inert munitions at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Sep. 13, 2018.
(US Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Ted Nichols)
US Air Force weapons load crews conduct a training exercise on a B-1B Lancer with inert munitions at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Sep. 13, 2018.
(US Air Force Tech. Sgt. Ted Nichols)
US Air Force weapons load crews conduct a training exercise on a B-1B Lancer with inert munitions at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Sep. 13, 2018.
(US Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Ted Nichols)
US Air Force Airman 1st Class Osvaldo Galvez operates a jammer at RAF Fairford, June 2, 2018.
(US Air Force photo by Senior Airman Emily Copeland)
Air Force Tech. Sgt. Clayton Moore and Tech. Sgt. Micheal Lewis attach an inert Mark 62 Quickstrike mine to the bomb racks in a B-1B Lancer at RAF Fairford, June 2, 2018.
(US Air Force photo by Senior Airman Emily Copeland)
US Air Force Staff Sgt. Sergio Escobedo closes the crew-entry ladder at RAF Fairford, England, June 1, 2018.
(Air Force photo by Senior Airman Emily Copeland)
"I was very adamant about making that happen because it was something that I wanted to have happen the whole time I was flying it," Ross said. "I was 'full afterburner' to make sure we got this thing to where we are at, and to hopefully continue on to make it a reality."
This article originally appeared on Business Insider. Follow @BusinessInsider on Twitter.
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