It's hard to believe that the B-1 Lancer has been flying for 40 years. 👇
Growing up fascinated by planes, the B-1 always stood out to me as a symbol of speed, deep strike capability, and pique '80s swing-wing innovation.
Developed during the Cold War to replace the B-52 Stratofortress, the B-1 combined speed with a massive payload capacity.
Its first flight was in 1974, but it officially entered service in 1986 as the B-1B.
They built 100 of these incredible machines, and they've been involved in conflicts like Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq.
One of the coolest features is its variable-sweep wings, which can adjust from 15 to 67.5 degrees.
This allows the plane to perform both high-speed sprints and low-speed maneuvers.
It's powered by four General Electric F101-GE-102 afterburning turbofan engines, each delivering 30,000 pounds of thrust.
That pushes the B-1 to speeds up to Mach 1.25, roughly 950 mph at high altitude.
The B-1 can carry up to 75,000 pounds of ordnance—the largest payload of any U.S. bomber. Its range without refueling is about 7,450 miles, and it can fly at altitudes up to 30,000 feet+.
The plane is packed with advanced avionics and electronic warfare systems like the AN/APQ-164 radar and the AN/ALQ-161 defensive suite.
When it comes to armaments, the B-1 is incredibly versatile. It can deploy a wide array of conventional weapons, including JDAMs (Joint Direct Attack Munitions), JASSMs (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles), cluster bombs, and GPS-guided bombs.
Although it was originally designed to carry nuclear weapons, it shifted to a conventional role in the 1990s due to arms reduction treaties.
The B-1 has seen action in operations like Desert Fox, Allied Force, Enduring Freedom and ongoing missions in the Middle East.
Its ability to stay in the air for long periods and deliver precise strikes has made it a crucial asset in the far-off lands that we fight.
Now, as the fleet gets older, plans are in place to gradually retire the B-1s and introduce the next-generation B-21 Raider.
Even after four decades, the B-1 remains a favorite of mine.
There's something awe-inspiring about watching one come in for a strike, wings swept back as the engines roar, that always brought a grin to my face.
All B-1s are planned to be retired by 2036. As it nears retirement, I know I can appreciate the 40 years of service it has given and the impact it has had on deep-strike aviation and the modern battlespace.
/// HOLDEN SENDS