Weapons
The B-1 was originally conceived and built as a nuclear delivery vehicle, and in that role it would have carried SRAMs, cruise missiles and free-fall nuclear bombs. Since the end of the Cold Was the aircraft has been reconfigured as a conventional bomb carrier. It has a large and diverse carrying capacity, as this image shows:
In should be noted that although each bay can carry a different weapon, weapon types cannot be mixed within a bay. The bulkhead between the two forward bays is actually fixed, as required by the START II treaty. The B-1B has eight external hardpoints which were originally intended for the AGM-86B ALCM. Under the terms of START II these hardpoints are not used, although they could accommodate an additional 26.75 tonnes of munitions.
Mk 82 (84)
The first conventional weapon to be cleared for use by the B-1 was the Mk 82 general-purpose gravity bomb. The basic Mk 82 is 1.68m long and 0.27m in diameter, and weighs 226kg. It has an explosive warhead is 87kg of Tritonal, Minol II or H-6, and is usually equipped with mechanical M904 (nose) and M905 (tail) fuzes, or the radar-proximity FMU-113 air-burst fuze.
A standard Mk 82 can be converted to a Mk 82 AIR retarded bomb by the addition of a BSU-49/B high drag tail assembly. The "ballute" air bag which deploys from the tail provides a high speed, low altitude delivery capability by quickly slowing the bomb and allowing the aircraft to escape the blast pattern.
About 5000 Mk 82s were dropped by B-1Bs during Operation Allied Force between April 1st and June 20th 1999.
Mk 65 Quick Strike (12)
The B-1B can carry 12 Mk65 sea mines. This weapon weighs 1086kg and is 3.25m long and 0.74m in diameter.
CBU-87 (30)
The CBU-87 Combined Effects Munition contains 202 BLU-97/B combined effects bombs, which when released have a footprint of about 200 x 400m. The bomblets are effective against light armour, personnel and materiel. Each bomblet is approximately 20cm long and 6cm in diameter. The CBU-87 is 2.3m long and 0.4m in diameter, and weighs 431kg.
The ability to carry this weapon was added in the Block C upgrade. Full operational capability was reached in August 1997.
B-1Bs did not drop any CBU-97s during Operation Allied Force.
CBU-89 (30)
The CBU-89 Gator is an area-denial cluster weapon, containing 72 BLU-91/B anti-tank and 22 BLU-92/B anti-personnel mines. In this configuration it weighs just under 500kg. It is 2.3m long and 0.4m in diameter. The size of the minefield depends on the height that the weapon is released from, but it is typically 200 x 650m.
The ability to carry this weapon was added in the Block C upgrade. Full operational capability was reached in August 1997.
CBU-97 (30)
The CBU-97 Sensor-Fuzed Weapon contains ten BLU-108/B submunitions, each containing 4 armour-penetrating projectiles with infrared sensors to detect infrared targets. At a preset altitude a rocket motor fires to spin the submunition and initiate an ascent. The submunition then releases its four projectiles, which are lofted over the target area. The projectile's sensor detects a vehicle's infrared signature, and an explosively formed penetrator fires at the heat source.
The CBU-97 is 2.3m long and 0.4m in diameter, and weighs 420kg. It can cover an area of about 150 x 400m.
The ability to carry this weapon was added in the Block C upgrade. Full operational capability was reached in August 1997.
GBU-31 JDAM (24)
The B-1B is cleared to carry the 2000lb GBU-31 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM). This capability was added as part of the Block D upgrade. JDAM is basically a tailkit that turns a 2000lb Mk 84 general purpose bomb or a BLU-109 penetrator bomb into a GPS-aided INS-guided precision weapon.
Seven B-1Bs had received the Block D mods by the time of Operation Allied Force, but the only JDAMs used during the operation were dropped by B-2s. However, B-1Bs made extensive use of JDAM during Operation "Enduring Freedom" in 2001/02.
The GBU-38 is a Mk82 500lb general purpose bomb with a GPS tailkit added. The B-1B was cleared to this weapon in February 2005.
Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser (30)
The B-1B Block E upgrade added the Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser (WCMD) and upgraded computers. These changes allow CBUs to be delivered more accurately from higher altitude.
AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (16)
JSOW is intended to provide a low cost glide weapon with a standoff capability from 30km to 70km, depending on launch altitude. It is a launch and leave weapon that employs a tightly coupled GPS/INS navigation system for midcourse navigation and imaging infra-red and datalink for terminal homing.
JSOW is just over 3.9m long and weighs between 450kg and 680kg. Extra flexibility has been built into the missile by its modular design, which allows several different submunitions, unitary warheads, or non-lethal payloads to be carried. JSOW-A (AGM-154A) dispenses 145 BLU-97 combined-effects bomblets which are used to attack soft targets such as SAM sites or airfields. The JSOW-B (AGM-154B) dispenses 6 BLU-108 anti-armour submunitions.
AGM-158 Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile (24)
JASSM is a precision cruise missile designed for launch from outside area defences to kill a variety of fixed and relocatable targets. After launch, it will be able to fly autonomously over a low-level, indirect route to the target area where an autonomous terminal guidance system will guide the missile in for a direct hit.
JASSM's midcourse guidance is provided by a GPS-aided inertial navigation system protected by a new anti-jam GPS null steering antenna system. In the terminal phase, JASSM is guided by an imaging IT seeker and a target recognition system that provides aimpoint detection, tracking and strike.
The missile has a range of 200 nautical miles (320 km), and it carries a 1000lb (454kg) warhead. It is powered by a Teledyne CAE J402-CA-100 turbojet rated at 3.0 kN (680 lb).
The 7th BW became the first unit to achieve initial operational capability of the AGM-158 in August 2005.
In August 2006 an extended-range JASSM successfully carried out a flight test at the White Sands Missile Range. In the test, the JASSM-ER missile successfully separated from a B-1B, deployed its wings and tail and started its engine. The missile climbed to the preplanned cruise altitude, navigated via predetermined waypoints and descended to a selected altitude above ground level for target ingress. The missile performed a terminal maneuver allowing the missile to demonstrate the desired impact angle and accuracy.
JASSM-ER, which is designated the AGM-158B, has a range of about 500 nm. It is powered by a Williams F107-WR-105 turbofan.
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