The Bomber That Carries America's Biggest Bunker-Busters Is Getting Major Upgrades

TBI ^ | 8-9-2012 | Michael Kelley

[blam]

The Bomber That Carries America's Biggest Bunker-Busters Is Getting Major Upgrades

Michael Kelley
Aug. 9, 2012, 3:24 PM |

U.S. Air Force

The Air Force's B-1B "Lancer" multi-mission bomber is getting some notable upgrades in the next year, David Cenciotti at The Aviationist reports.

Known as "Bone" in aviation circles, the B-1B is capable of accommodating the largest payloads in the U.S. Air Force inventory – including the the 30,000 lb Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) that is now ready to bust bunkers 200 feet down and through 60 feet of reinforced concrete.

In June, Cenciotti reported that the B-1B "will be able to send, receive text messages and be programmed for war" after receiving advanced hardware and software upgrades that will undergo operational testing in September 2013.

By then the B-1B will have the option of carrying up to 24 of the new AGM-158B Joint Air-Surface Stanfoff Extended Range (JASSM-ER)missiles – GPS-guided cruise missiles with 2,250-lbs warhead capable of reaching a target 600 miles away – that will be operational at the beginning of next year.

Cenciotti notes that the B-1 will be able to deploy these radar-evading, extremely jamming resistant missiles "against fortified, fixed and relocateable high-valuable targets, while remaining well clear of long-range surface-to-air missiles" that guard well-defended air spaces such as Syria and Iran.

Iran Says America's Bunker-Busting Bombs Could Set Off Global Conflict

[Mears]

They are beautiful-—thanks for the pics.

[Lx]

I built a model of that plane.

I still think this is the most beautiful plane:

[okie01]

B-58 Hustler if I remember correctly. These were the source for lots of sonic booms before the whiners outlawed super sonic flights over the mainland USA.

In the sixties, I lived in Cincinnati. Bunker Hill AFB in Indiana was a major B-58 base.

One summer, we could almost set our watches to a 7:00 PM "boom".

[yarddog]

I think Eglin is the largest Air Force Base. There are a couple of larger military bases. One is Star City in Russia and I think White Sands may be larger tho it is mostly just desert.

[yarddog]

I forgot to mention that Eglin is not just large in area. There is stuff all over the place, a lot of it way out in the boondocks.

My Father worked there for over 30 years.

[Calvin Locke]

The WW2 TBF Avenger, when loaded with bombs, had a "programmable" bomb drop.

The bombardier would set the switches for the pilot's release.

[blam]

In the early 1950's I spent hours drawing this plane and the F-80 in mock battles.

[yarddog]

I always thought the B-47 was a beautiful plane. I guess the B-52 killed it.

[blam]

"I think Eglin is the largest Air Force Base. There are a couple of larger military bases. One is Star City in Russia and I think White Sands may be larger tho it is mostly just desert. "

Okay. Largest AFB in the world. One other benefit mentioned was that it had a large frontage to the Gulf Of Mexico and the AF liked making training runs from the water to land, etc.

The above was my home when I was in the military. Yes, it's diesel. (USS Jallao SS-368)

[familyop]

I’m a little surprised that B-1s are being publicly discussed for that purpose. Earlier articles disseminated here and there only included B-2s, etc. Maybe getting closer to real action in the Middle East.

[tet68]

I’ll be waiting for that special tweet.

#bone-Mission accomplished, targets destroyed
What’s for dinner?

[norton]

this is a tough thread;
I was at Davis Monthan in mid sixties. We watched B47s, B52s, and B70s come in in flocks. They'd sit for awhile and then go under the guillotine as scrap. '70s were just starting to get mashed when I rotated South.

I was there when the last salvageable Skyraider flew out going south same time as me.

[Kickass Conservative]

Carter killed the original B-1. The B-1 was resurrected as the B1-B by President Reagan.

A while back I read a Book about the Lockheed Skunk Works. Carter knew of the F-117 Development and decided that the B-1 wouldn’t be necessary with the advent of the F-117. Since the F-117 was a “black” program, nobody knew Carter’s (misguided IMHO) motivation to cancel the B-1.

[NonValueAdded]

Which calls for a shout-out to Robert “B-1 Bob” Dornan.

[blam]

"I was there when the last salvageable Skyraider flew out going south same time as me."

I think it was the SkyRaider that I saw the Vietnamese use against the Viet Cong in the mid-60's.

[MarkL]

Wow, I was looking at the photos, thinking the B1 is a gorgeous plane, and was somewhat reminiscent of my second favorite plane ever, the B-58 Hustler!

Mark

[SPI-Man]

B-70s? I don’t think so! Only two were built and one crashed. The other is at the AF Museum at WPAFB. It must have been some other A/C you saw getting sliced and diced.

[blam]

Wasn’t Carter accussed of revealing the stealth program prematurely to the whole world?

[varon]

In June, Cenciotti reported that the B-1B "will be able to send, receive text messages

WTH, are they going to have teenagers drive these things?