Posted on 06/03/2012 8:05:23 AM PDT by moonshot925
6/2/2012 - DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) -- B-1B Lancers are currently undergoing the most advanced hardware and software upgrades to date as part of the Sustainment-Block 16 program.
Sustainment-Block 16 upgrades include a fully integrated data link in the aft station and vertical situation display upgrade in the front station as well as updates to navigation, radar and diagnostic systems.
"The B-1 has never seen this many upgrades in one block," said Maj. Thomas Bryant, the 337th Test and Evaluation Squadron assistant director of operations. "These upgrades will give us an entirely new aircraft; this is a game changer."
The aft crew station will now receive five new color displays, all capable of providing moving maps and data link integration. Weapon systems officers will receive full "QWERTY" keyboards and new controllers to interface with the integrated battle station software.
(Excerpt) Read more at af.mil ...
One thing the industry learned with the B-58 hustler is when in the TFR flight mode thinks got really shaky, enough to make the pilots sick. The initial B1 mission was low altitude under the radar penetration. For this they needed a good TFR auto flight control system to keep it out of the ground and as part of that the canards were added to dampen out the structural sine wave that came when rapid pitch changes were made by flight controls responding to approaching terrain changes.
My thoughts too. I love the upgrades, but we need to make sure our enemies don’t get compromised chips into our weapons systems.
I had to fortune or in some cases misfortune to be stationed at Edwards Air Force Base for during one of the greatest periods of aviation advancement in history. While I was there the X-15, XB-70, XV-42, YF-12 and many other new platforms were flying. Was there when the XB-70 crashed. During that era envelops were being pushed and everything seemed to crash at least once. In the case of the XB-70 it when down after a mid air with a F-104 during a publicity filming flight.
Sad day. Lost good hardware but most of all good men.
Awesome.
Having seen several B-1B night take-offs from Dyess and felt the rumble of the engines with afterburners in, this is an incredible plane.
Flies low and slow or fast. Carries the payload under the radar.
Ivan’s or Ishmail’s worst nightmare.
“Excellent. Thanks for the wallpaper BTW.”
My thoughts, exactly. The one with the weapons array is now on my desktop. Nasty.
IMHO, one of the best-looking bombers.
Ditto that :-)
Shay-shay, all accounted for.
B-58 is in a class by itself !
They are for when the place is flying low and fast:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canard_(aeronautics)#Active_vibration_damping
Beautiful airplane.
Active vibration damping
A large aircraft flying fast at low altitude can experience significant aerodynamic buffeting, leading to crew fatigue and reduced airframe life. Aircraft such as the B-1 Lancer incorporate small canard surfaces as part of an active vibration damping system that reduces these adverse effects.
Tis a great day when I can add to my store of useless trivia.
How many lancers are even left?
Stick or yoke?
One of the most beautiful planes to ever take to the sky.
“How many lancers are even left?”
65 as of September 2010
They are split between the 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess AFb, Texas and the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota.
0bama will ensure that even our great great grandchildren won't see this.
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