A HUGE Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota BUMP!!!
Home of the B-1B Lancer Bomber
Posted on 05/10/2002 7:54:15 AM PDT by Excuse_My_Bellicosity
05/09/02 - WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFPN) -- A B-1B Lancer crew successfully targeted three different weapon types against three separate targets in a single, 20-second bombing run on May 2 at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
Part of a computer upgrade test program, the Global Power Bomber Combined Test Force crew released one MK-84, 2,000-pound bomb, three MK-82, 500-pound bombs, and four CBU-89, 1,000-pound cluster munitions. Each struck targets about 10,000 feet apart.
“Today marks a major test accomplishment,” said Lt. Col. Arnie Bunch, Global Power Bomber CTF director. “The team demonstrated conventional weapons flexibility without any glitches. As we add precision weapons to the mix, the B-1 warfighter should have unmatched strike capability long into the future.”
This is the first time in Air Force history an aircraft’s on-board weapon system used multiple weapon types against multiple, separated targets, automatically releasing munitions at the proper time and position in a single bomb run, Bunch said.
“This release accomplished what would typically require three aircraft passes or coordinated strike of three aircraft,” Bunch said. “Using this new capability, the Air Force will be able to dramatically decrease the number of assets put in harm’s way during future aircraft attacks.”
Considered a major program milestone, the demonstration is the first step in developing improved weapons flexibility for the B-1. In the next few weeks, the CTF will demonstrate further weapons flexibility by dropping precision and nonprecision weapons in a single run, Bunch said.
“This demonstrated weapons flexibility is a giant step forward in the B-1’s overall conventional mission upgrade program,” said Col. Mike Miller, B-1 system program director at the Aeronautical Systems Center here. “It puts the B-1 closer to fulfilling its role as the backbone of the bomber fleet as envisioned by the USAF Bomber Roadmap. The next critical step in this maturation is successful completion of the defensive system upgrade program, now in the early phase of testing.”
In 2003, testing will begin to integrate the Joint Standoff Weapon and Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile. At the same time, new upgraded computer systems will be installed.
“Air Combat Command enthusiastically anticipates completion of the B-1 Block E program,” said Col. Gregory A. Feest, ACC deputy director of requirements. “As we transform the bomber fleet to be more responsive in striking targets, the B-1’s weapons flexibility will provide the joint force air component commander unparalleled strike options immediately, on-call.”
A HUGE Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota BUMP!!!
Home of the B-1B Lancer Bomber
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