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Boeing B-1B “Lancer”: Capable workhorse
By Ted Carlson/KS
“The mission tempo is continuing to rise, quite simply because the 'Bone' (from 'B-One') is so much in demand,” explains Lt Col Jim “Hook” Pryor, commander of the 34th Bomb Squadron stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota. “We are in a position to demonstrate air power relatively quickly anywhere in the world.” In the ongoing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Boeing B-1B therefore plays an important role. Major Steve “Joker” Jones, who serves as flying instructor with the 28th Operational Support Squadron, even foresees a “shift in the orientation of the Air Force away from the fighter and towards unmanned air vehicles and heavy bombers”.
“We can maintain a patrol over the battlefield for an extended period and on demand deliver large quantities of precision munitions,” says Jones. Whether deployed against terrorist training camps, bunkers and underground complexes or more traditional targets such as command and control centres, airfields or troops in the field, the B-1B has a suitable bomb or guided missile in its arsenal for every purpose. “As well as the 910kg JDAMs [Joint Direct Air Munition], we also now have a 225kg version available, which naturally is better suited when we are operating close to own forces or in villages,” explains Captain Michael “Neo” Brazda, one of the 34th Bomb Squadron's Weapon Systems Officers. “Soon we will also be getting the 113kg GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb, which offers a good range. And we can carry 96 of them.” As well as the GPS-guided bombs, the joint air-to-surface standoff missile (JASSM) and the joint standoff weapon (JSOW) glide bomb are also available.
Due to restrictions imposed by the START disarmament treaty, the B-1B carries all these weapons in its three internal weapon bays (two of them in front of the wing box). With a mixed payload and a series of drops in the course of the mission, it is important to always keep the centre of gravity of the variable-sweep aircraft within the permitted limits. There is an automatic system to ensure this, but the crew maintain a watchful eye on the situation.
The other members of the crew besides the aircraft commander (who has to have accumulated around 450 to 500 hours on the “Bone”) and the co-pilot consist of two Weapons System Officers. The latter are trained to work both as Defensive Systems Officers and as Offensive System Officers. According to Captain Brazda, “Good cooperation among the crew is an important factor in the successful completion of missions.” On account of the long distances to the target area, missions often last 15 hours and include several air-to-air refuellings. During the “global power flights” the B-1B was even in the air for as long as 34 hours.
Missions can differ widely. “On my first mission the second night of the attack on Afghanistan we had a full payload of GBU-31 JDAMs on board,” recalls Captain Chris Hawn of the 34th Bomb Squadron. “We released some of them on the first target, then flew on to the next target near Kabul, where we had to deliver a second round due to a minor technical error. We saw air defence fire, but the shells detonated behind and below us. In Kabul the lights went out. With our night vision goggles we were able to make out the gunfire even better. Then we continued towards the northwest, where we released more JDAMs near Djalalabad – it was surreal, like being in a bus which has to set off passengers at every stop…”
Hawn continues: “Soon all the planned targets had been dealt with and our missions changed more to patrol flights, in which we programmed the JDAMs with new coordinates and released them as quickly as possible. One time we worked in the Tora Bora area alongside an AC-130 Gunship. We made an approach, then the Hercules came along with its cannon, then we delivered another bomb. It was quite impressive how two aircraft which are so different could work together.”
In 2003 Captain Hawn also flew above Iraq, where the same type of mission predominated. However it was a lot more dangerous. “One night we flew from Al Asad in a northerly direction to our next target, but due to a mistake we had lost our F-16CJ fighter escort, which was supposed to be containing the air defence positions. We were right in the middle of releasing several JDAMs one after the other when the radar warning receiver sounded. With my night vision goggles I saw a bright light approaching us. I cried, 'Break left,' and then there was a bright flash. It turned out that an SA-2 Guideline had exploded just behind us, too close for comfort.”
For this kind of attack, the B-1B flies at an altitude of about 7,650 metres, where it is safe against most air defence cannon. But if necessary they could also fly at low altitude. The automatic terrain following system works within the band of 60 to 600 metres above ground, albeit only about the transverse axis. Speeds can be up to 1,000 km/h.
Over three decades after the maiden flight of the B-1A the “Bone” continues to be a flexible operational resource which the US Air Force will keep in the frontline for many years to come. Accordingly, further modernisation measures are planned. For example, the Sniper XR laser target designator from Lockheed Martin was recently tried out. New cockpit instrumentation with large screens is to be installed in 2009. This will mean that the pilots' and WSOs' screens are networked, which should improve the situation awareness of the entire crew.
From page 6 of FLUG REVUE 7/2007
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