{"id":52349,"date":"2023-07-11T21:51:09","date_gmt":"2023-07-11T19:51:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/?p=52349"},"modified":"2025-07-22T04:29:40","modified_gmt":"2025-07-22T02:29:40","slug":"a-close-up-tour-of-a-b-1b-lancer-nuclear-bomber-inside-and-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/2023\/07\/11\/a-close-up-tour-of-a-b-1b-lancer-nuclear-bomber-inside-and-out\/","title":{"rendered":"A close-up tour of a B-1B Lancer nuclear bomber inside and out"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Rockwell B-1B Lancer is one of three types of nuclear-capable US Air Force (USAF) strategic bombers.<\/p>\n

Two B-1B bombers fly over Latvia on the 83rd anniversary of the Soviet invasion<\/a><\/rel>
\nThe USAF shows more photos of the B-21 Raider and talks about a future without B-1B nor B-2<\/a><\/rel><\/p>\n

Of those three types of bombers (the other two are the B-52 and the B-2), the B-1B is the only supersonic<\/strong>, since it is capable of reaching a maximum speed of Mach 1.25 (1,543 km\/h). In B-1B it made its first flight in 1974 and entered service in 1986. 104 Lancers were built and currently 45 remain in service in the USAF<\/strong>, divided into six squadrons (five bombardment squadrons and one test).<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
A B-1B Lancer from the 28th Bombardment Wing, based at Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota, during an in-flight refueling operation on September 30, 2019 (Photo: U.S. Air National Guard<\/a>).<\/div>\n

The B-1B is an aircraft with variable geometry wings<\/strong>, that is, the angle of its wings adapts to the speed of the aircraft, a characteristic that it shares with other aircraft of its time <\/strong>, such as the American F-14 Tomcat and F-111 Aardvark and the Soviet MiG-23, MiG-27 and Su-17. A spectacular feature of the B-1B is that it has three bomb bays in its fuselage with a capacity for 34,000 kg of bombs or missiles<\/strong> (the B-52 only has one bay and the B-2 has two) . These holds can be equipped with rotary launchers. In addition, it has six external supports in which it can load 23,000 weapons.<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
Two Lancers during an in-flight refueling operation on June 26, 2023 (Photo: U.S. Air National Guard<\/a>).<\/div>\n

The B-1B has a total of four crew members:<\/strong> the pilot and the commander sit in the front seats, and behind them sit the offensive systems officer and the defensive systems officer. They each sit in an ejection seat.<\/strong> In addition, you can carry two more crew members in folding seats.<\/p>\n

A month ago, Erik Johnston<\/a> posted a very long video (almost 2 hours and a half in 4K format)<\/strong> in which members of the 34th Bombardment Squadron \"Thunderbirds\", based at Ellsworth AFB (South Dakota), and a sergeant from the 28th Ammunition Squadron show the exterior and interior of the plane, as well as its arsenal of bombs and missiles<\/strong>. It is one of the best reports on the net about this exceptional aircraft:<\/p>\n