Backgrounder

Boeing Defense, Space & Security P.O. Box 516 St. Louis, MO 63166 www.boeing.com

B-1 Lancer Bomber

Description and Purpose: The B-1B Lancer bomber is a long range, multi-mission conventional bomber in service to the United States Air Force since 1984. Customer(s): Air Combat Command (ACC), Langley AFB, VA The first B-1B was delivered in 1984 and the last one was delivered in 1988. General Characteristics:
Primary Function: Long-range, multi-role, heavy bomber Contractor: Boeing Power plant: Four General Electric F101-GE-102 turbofan engine with afterburner Thrust: 30,000-plus pounds with afterburner, per engine Wingspan: 137 feet (41.8 meters) extended forward, 79 feet (24.1 meters) swept aft Length: 146 feet (44.5 meters) Height: 34 feet (10.4 meters) Weight: approximately 190,000 pounds (86,183 kilograms) Maximum Takeoff Weight: 477,000 pounds (216,634 kilograms) Fuel Capacity: 265,274 pounds (120,326 kilograms) Payload: 75,000 pounds ( 34,019 kilograms) Speed: 900-plus mph (Mach 1.2 at sea level) Range: Intercontinental Ceiling: More than 30,000 feet (9,144 meters) Armament: 84 500-pound Mk-82 or 24 2,000-pound Mk-84 general purpose bombs; up to 84 500-pound Mk-62 or 8 2,000-pound Mk-65 Quick Strike naval mines; 30 cluster munitions (CBU-87, -89, -97) or 30 Wind-Corrected Munitions Dispensers (CBU-103, -104, -105); up to 24 2,000-pound GBU-31 or 15 500pound GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munitions; up to 24 AGM-158A Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles. The bomber can accommodate mixed loads of these weapons. Crew: Four (aircraft commander, copilot, and two weapon systems officers) Initial operating capability: October 1986 Inventory: Active force, 66 (test, 2); ANG, 0; Reserve, 0

Background: The B-1B stood nuclear alert from 1984 until 1997 where it was phased out of the nuclear role to comply with the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty II. In 1993 the USAF implemented an upgrade program to improve the B-1s conventional capability through

the addition of precision GPS munitions and the associated aircraft modifications. These upgrades were fully fielded in 2007. The B-1s combat debut was in Operation Desert Fox in Iraq in December of 1998. The next year in 1999 six B-1s were deployed in Operation Allied Force where the advantage of the huge bomber payload became apparent. The B-1 flew 2% of the strike sorties yet dropped 20% of the ordnance. In 2001 eight B-1s were deployed in support of Operation Southern Watch and have been deployed nearly continually since in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. In all of these venues the B-1 has distinguished itself by employing large quantities of munitions for relatively few sorties. The B-1s range, speed, payload and flexibility have earned it the reputation as the MVP or most valuable plane in recent conflicts. The aircraft won the prestigious Collier trophy in 1976. It currently holds 100 World Records for Range, Speed, Payload and Time to Climb in its class. There are 66 aircraft in service, based at Dyess Air Force Base in Texas and Ellsworth Air Force Base South Dakota. Miscellaneous: New color cockpit displays, digital moving map and Link-16 digital data link are currently in flight test. These will enhance the B-1s ability to engage time critical targets through machine to machine interface from mission planners to the aircraft avionics. Situational awareness will be greatly improved by overlaying friendly and foe locations from the data link onto the color moving map. The data link will also transmit the B-1 position to other friendly assets, eliminating the time consuming process to transmit information via voice radio. Future enhancement will improve the B-1s targeting sensors and avionics software to engage the small mobile targets that are predicted in future conflicts. ### Contact: Jennifer Hogan Boeing Global Services & Support Communications 405-818-7859 jennifer.c.hogan@boeing.com September 2010