B-1B Lancer Bomber Can’t Drop a Nuclear Bomb on Anyone Now

The B-1B Lancer has been through several changes during its lifetime. Today, she is part of the triad of long-range bombers in the US Air Force’s fleet. Together with the B-51 Buff and the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, they still pack a mighty punch against America’s enemies.

But the B-1B and B-2 are slated for the boneyard—eventually.

The B-21 Raider was officially unveiled in December 2022 and is currently in low-rate initial production (LRIP) after making its maiden flight last November. US Air Force officials say the B-21 Raider is a “dual nuclear and conventionally capable, stealth, penetrating, long-range strike platform.” The B-21 will replace the aging B-1B Lancer and B-2 Spirit in the coming decade.

The B-21 Raider is named after the Doolittle Raiders of World War II, an Army land bomber squadron that took off from an aircraft carrier and bombed Japan during the darkest days of WWII. 

However, until the B-21 Raiders are ready, the Air Force’s triad will continue, and although the Lancer isn’t a stealth bomber, it still packs an incredible punch. The US recently sent a small fleet of B-1Bs to Guam as a deterrent. But first, let’s look at the journey of the B-1B and how she keeps evolving. 

B-1B Lancer’s Mission History

The B-1 bomber was officially named the Lancer, but pilots call it the “Bone,” taken from the spelling B-One. It was first developed in the 1970s as a supersonic replacement for the B-52 Stratofortress. 

Her mission was to penetrate Soviet airspace, flying low and fast and, when approaching a nuclear weapon target, pop up to an appropriate altitude, deliver her atomic bombs, and then drop her altitude using her speed to get away. 

The original design could fly at Mach 2.2 (1,688 mph) speeds. However, President Carter cut the program in 1977 due to its high cost, the introduction of the AGM-86 cruise missile that flew the same essential speed and distance, and the development of the B-2 stealth bomber.

Carter said, “The B-1 bomber is an example of a proposed system which should not be funded and would waste taxpayers’ dollars.”

However, President Reagan faced the same dilemma as Carter: Should we develop the B-1 for the short term or wait for the B-2 stealth bomber? He decided to develop both programs.

Reagan restarted the program in 1981 and made some changes. The payload was increased to 74,000 pounds, an improved radar and reduction of the radar cross-section, and the inlets were decreased in size, which lowered the top speed to Mach 1.2 (920 mph).

The first B-1B bomber, “The Star of Abilene,” was delivered in 1985. By 1988, all 100 orders had been delivered, and production had stopped. The US had a bomber force that could penetrate Soviet airspace and take out targets inside the Soviet Union in a nuclear confrontation. 

Nuclear Treaty Clips The Lancer’s Wings

Around the time of the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the signing of the START nuclear arms treaty with Russia, President George H.W. Bush ordered a $3 billion refit so that the B-1B eliminated the ability to carry nuclear weapons. 

The B-1 Lancer was now only a conventional bomber. However, early use of the 40 conventional bomb-carrying variants had issues with engine fires. Therefore, the B-1Bs remained out of Desert Storm, and the B-52s were used instead. 

The Evolution of the B-1B Lancer

Colonel Joseph Kramer, then-7th Bomb Wing commander at Dyess AFB, Texas, in an interview with the service’s media, explained the five historical phases of the B-1’s tactical role. “It was initially designed to carry nuclear weapons. It would approach its target at a low level, then pop up to a designated altitude and drop its payload. Its stealth and speed would be a major factor using this tactic.”

“Its second phase would be the traditional tactic of dropping conventional bombs (dumb bombs) that weren’t very precise.”

“In its third phase, the B-1 employed 2,000 pound guided bombs that landed within 10’s of feet of its target.”

“In its fourth phase, which was very effective in the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of operations, the B-1 carried an advanced targeting pod that permitted it to loiter overhead and strike individual vehicles with precision.”

“In its fifth and current phase of operations, the B-1 can launch guided cruise missiles like the long range guided anti-ship missile (LRASM) hundreds of miles from its target and strike it with precision.”

“The last phase will facilitate the transition to the new B-21 Raider in the near future,” he added.

The Guam Mission Sends a Message To China

The Bomber Task Force’s temporary duty in Guam is no small move, despite only sending four aircraft to the US territory, as the situation is much hotter in Guam. 

The deployment comes amid elevated tensions in the Indo-Pacific with China and North Korea. Russia, given its shared contiguous maritime zone in its far east, has conducted increasingly aggressive and comprehensive naval and aerial drills with its ally of convenience, Beijing, and direct defense industrial and “military-technological” cooperation with North Korea.

This deployment, called BTF-25-1, supports the Pacific Air Forces’ training efforts with Allies, partners, and joint forces and strategic deterrence missions to reinforce the rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific region. It isn’t clear how long this deployment will last. 

However, not only the bombers deploy. When B-1 Lancers are sent overseas, they require massive spares and maintenance equipment support. This maintenance program requires several C-17 Globemaster IIIs from the various mobility wings flown to Andersen AFB during deployment. It shows US resolve and the seriousness of the situation. 

The B1-B Is Getting Long In the Tooth, The B-21 Is The Future

The B-1B Lancer is still the backbone of the US Air Force’s long-range bomber triad. The supersonic B-1B Lancer can carry the largest conventional payload of guided and unguided weapons in the Air Force inventory.

The B-1B has synthetic aperture radar, which allows it to track moving targets. The airplane also has electronic warfare capabilities that can jam incoming enemy aircraft and chaff and flares that confuse enemy radar-guided and heat-seeking missiles.

However, they lack stealth technology. Adversaries in the Indo-Pacific have sophisticated air defense systems, and the Lancers would probably not fare well against them in a penetration mission.

The airframes are reaching the end of their operational lives and will need close monitoring. But despite these concerns, the Lancers will be required until the B-21 force is fully up to speed. As these deployments show, the B-1s are still a force to be reckoned with. 

In its conventional strike role, the B-1B was first used in combat in Iraq in Operation Desert Fox in 1998 and has flown missions there and in Afghanistan. Earlier this year, B-1Bs were used in Syria.

During the first six months of Operation Enduring Freedom, eight B-1s dropped almost 40 percent of aerial ordnance, including some 3,900 Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs).

JDAM munitions were heavily used by the B-1 over Iraq, notably on  April 7, 2003, in an unsuccessful attempt to kill Saddam Hussein and his two sons. During Operation Enduring Freedom, the B-1 raised its mission capable rate to 79 percent.

During a six-month deployment to Afghanistan in 2012, the Air Force kept a B-1B in the air at all times, accounting for a quarter of all air sorties during that time, and averaged two to three missions per day, supporting the ground troops. 

B-1Bs were used in Syria during the US/Kurdish operations to remove the Islamic State (ISIS) during the Syrian Civil War. 

After a drone attack in Jordan that killed three US troops, the US deployed two B-1Bs to strike 85 terrorist targets in seven locations in Iraq and Syria as part of a multi-tiered response on February 2, 2024.

The Air Force plans to keep the B-1Bs in service until 2038 when the B-21 Raider stealth bomber should be fielded entirely.

The Maintenance Of The Lancer Is Expensive

The B-1B Lancer is an expensive plane to keep in the air. However, the B-1 Lancer’s $63,000 cost per flight hour is less than the $72,000 for the B-52 and the $135,000 for the B-2 stealth bomber. A typical 12-hour flight costs nearly a million dollars for maintenance and repairs. 

But it is a price well worth what it brings as a deterrent. 

The “Bone” Remains A Critical Airframe

“The Bone” remains a critical asset in the US Air Force’s bomber force, along with the B-52 Stratofortress and the B-2 Spirit, and can carry massive conventional payloads and conduct long-range strike missions. With an internal payload of 70,000 pounds of weapons, it has the largest payload of any US plane ever. 

While it lacks the stealth quality to make it an ideal penetrator of enemy (Russian, Chinese, North Korean, and Iranian) airspace, it may have lost its mission as a nuclear bomber. Still, it can carry 24 Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs). It has been a versatile airframe that has been able to evolve.

With the capability to launch long-range stand-off weapons, it can target naval ships while patrolling large swaths of the Pacific Ocean. Due to its long range, it is fully capable of this, along with the B-52. For now, the stealthy missions will fall to the B-2. 

The US will start seeing the B-21s by 2026, but until then, our triad of tried-and-true bombers will have to suffice. The B-1B will remain a huge part of that. 

About the Author: Steve Balestrieri 

Steve Balestrieri is a 19FortyFive National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing for 19FortyFive, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.