The US has developed an aircraft so advanced that no other nation can come close to building something similar. Throughout the history of aviation, the United States has led in creating technologically advanced military arsenals, investing billions to stay ahead and protect its citizens. With a $270 million investment, the US has outdone itself, creating an extremely destructive and powerful aircraft featuring cutting-edge technology unmatched by any other. Join us as we explore the mind-blowing features of this $270 million plane that only the US can build.
Building something exceptional is never easy, and this bomber epitomizes exceptionalism, developed through a complex process. Let’s dive into the story behind one of the most advanced aircraft ever.
In 1955, the United States Air Force recognized the need for a new bomber that combined the payload and range of Boeing’s B-52 Stratofortress with the Mach 2 speed of the Convair B-58 Hustler. By December 1957, North American Aviation’s B-70 Valkyrie was chosen for the role. This six-engine marvel could cruise at Mach 3 at 70,000 feet, far beyond the reach of 1950s Soviet interceptors, which struggled to catch the high-flying Lockheed U-2. However, as the Valkyrie was being developed, the military landscape shifted, and threats became more advanced. Surface-to-air missiles posed a significant threat to high-altitude bombers, highlighted by the downing of Gary Powers’ U-2 in 1960.
In response, the Air Force Strategic Air Command shifted tactics to low-level penetration. Flying close to the ground allowed bombers to use terrain to hide from radar and avoid detection. This low-altitude strategy also made radars of the era less effective and rendered surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and interceptors less capable of spotting bombers against the ground. This shift proved disastrous for the B-70 Valkyrie, designed for high-altitude and high-speed flight. At low altitudes, aerodynamic drag limited it to subsonic speeds, slashing its range. Consequently, the Valkyrie offered only slightly better subsonic speed than the B-52 but with significantly less range.
Advances in military strategy and a growing preference for intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) led to the cancellation of the B-70 program by President John F. Kennedy. Meanwhile, the B-52’s adaptability ensured its longevity. Although not designed for low-level missions, its vast fuel capacity allowed it to stay airborne at low altitudes for extended periods. Its large airframe was ideal for upgrades, including advanced radar jamming and deception systems. The B-52 proved its worth during the Vietnam War, modified to carry a massive bomb load of about 60,000 pounds. Its flexibility allowed it to outlast its intended successor, the B-70.
The B-52 wasn’t perfect for low-level missions, spurring the creation of a series of aircraft designs known as penetrators, built specifically for long-range low-altitude flight. The first to enter service was the supersonic F-111 fighter-bomber, featuring variable sweep wings for tactical flexibility. However, the search for a strategic range counterpart continued.
In 1961, the Air Force initiated the first post-B-70 strategic penetrator study called the Subsonic Low Altitude Bomber (SLAB). This design resembled an airliner more than a regular bomber, boasting a large swept wing, tail, and high-bypass engine. Following SLAB, the Extended Range Strike Aircraft emerged, incorporating a variable sweep wing and aiming for a 10,000-pound payload with a range of over 10,000 miles, including nearly 3,000 miles at low altitude. Two years later, the Low Altitude Manned Penetrator design was proposed, featuring a 20,000-pound bomb load and a slightly shorter range.
These efforts peaked in October 1963 with the Advanced Manned Precision Strike System, prompting studies by Boeing, General Dynamics, and North American. By mid-1964, the project evolved into the Advanced Manned Strategic Aircraft (AMSA), adding high-speed, high-altitude capability to its requirements. This project became so thoroughly analyzed that Rockwell Engineers jokingly called it America’s most studied aircraft.
The cancellation of the Valkyrie sparked debates about the new strategic bomber’s requirements and execution. The Air Force insisted on maintaining bombers within the nuclear triad for attacking hardened military targets and providing a safe counterforce option. However, the arrival of submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and improved ICBMs like the Minuteman III challenged these arguments. ICBMs offered a more cost-effective solution with higher accuracy and speed, making bombers seem redundant to some.
Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara preferred ICBMs over bombers for the Air Force’s deterrent force. He felt that a new, expensive bomber was unnecessary. Consequently, he limited the AMSA program to studies and component development in 1964. Despite continued program studies and avionics contracts awarded in 1964, McNamara’s opposition persisted. He favored upgrading the existing B-52 fleet and adding nearly 300 FB-111s for shorter-range missions, vetoing funding for AMSA aircraft development that same year.
When President Richard Nixon took office, he reopened the Advanced Manned Strategic Aircraft program, aligning it with his administration’s flexible response strategy, requiring diverse military options short of all-out nuclear war. Nixon’s Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird assessed the current bomber fleet, reducing the number of FB-111s due to their limited range and pushing for the acceleration of AMSA design studies. By April 1969, the program had evolved into the B-1A, the inaugural entry in the new bomber designation series created in 1962. In November 1969, the Air Force issued a request for proposals to build it, and Boeing, General Dynamics, and North American Rockwell showed interest. North American Rockwell, later known as Rockwell International, won the contract in June 1970, promising to develop an aircraft that would outpace and outclimb anything in the Soviet arsenal.
The initial plan included two test airframes, five flyable aircraft, and 40 engines, though budget cuts in 1971 reduced this to one ground and three flight test aircraft. Rockwell’s design incorporated features from both the F-111 and XB-70, including a crew escape capsule for high-speed ejections and variable sweep wings for enhanced lift and reduced drag during high-speed dashes. The B-1A wings, when fully extended, improved airfield performance, enabling operations from a wider variety of bases. Penetrating Soviet defenses at supersonic speeds, the B-1A aimed to swiftly cross into less defended areas before slowing down. Its design allowed for long-duration supersonic dashes, facilitated by variable exhaust nozzles and air intake ramps.
The initial design aimed for Mach 1.2 at low altitudes, necessitating titanium use in critical areas. This was later revised to Mach 0.85, reducing titanium use and overall cost. The B-1A prototypes featured an escape capsule later replaced by conventional ejection seats in the fourth prototype. Despite a 1971 mockup review demanding 297 design changes, the first prototype flew successfully on December 23, 1974. However, rising costs and high inflation saw the per-unit cost escalate from $40 million in 1970 to $70 million by 1975.
Despite development challenges, the B-1 bomber was eventually worth it. Let’s explore the designs of this irreplaceable bomber and what it has offered the aviation world since becoming operational.
The B-1, with its sleek and formidable design, features a blended wing body configuration and variable sweep wings, making it a marvel of modern aviation engineering. Its four powerful turbofan engines, combined with triangular ride control fins and a cruciform tail, enable the bomber to adapt to various flight conditions. Its wings can sweep from 15° for takeoff and landing to 67.5° for high-speed subsonic and supersonic flight, optimizing performance across a range of missions. This flexibility allows the B-1 to operate from shorter runways, a significant advantage over its predecessors.
The aircraft’s length posed a challenge with air turbulence at low altitudes, but Rockwell ingeniously solved this by incorporating small triangular fin control surfaces near the nose. These vanes, part of the Structural Mode Control System, counteract turbulence, ensuring a smoother ride. The B-1B, with a maximum speed of Mach 1.25, trades off some speed for reduced radar visibility. Its low-level speed was boosted to Mach 0.92, allowing it to evade enemy detection more effectively. Serpentine air intake ducts and fixed intake ramps lower its radar cross-section, making it harder to detect. Vanes in the intake ducts further enhance stealth by deflecting radar signals away from the engine’s reflective surfaces.
The B-1B engines, GE F101-GE-102, are modified for durability and efficiency, sharing their core with several other military and civilian aircraft engines, including those in the F-14 Tomcat, B-2 Spirit, and the CFM56 used in commercial jets. This commonality emphasizes the versatility and reliability of its power plant. Ground crew operations are streamlined with the nose gear door housing controls for the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU), enabling rapid startup during scrambles.
Inside the B-1B’s cockpit is a hub of advanced avionics. The IBM AP-101 main computer, also used in the Space Shuttle, runs the aircraft systems with the Jovial programming language. The offensive avionics suite includes the AN/APQ-164 radar, offering synthetic aperture radar, ground moving target indication, and terrain-following capabilities. A 1995 upgrade added GPS navigation, enhancing the bomber’s precision and effectiveness.
For defense, this bomber is equipped with the Eaton AN/ALQ-161A radar warning and jamming system, which includes multiple antennas for comprehensive coverage. The AN/AAR-47 Missile Approach Warning System in the tail cone further augments its defensive measures. Flare dispensers and the ALE-50 towed decoy system bolster the B-1B’s ability to evade enemy missiles. Although not a true stealth aircraft, its design significantly reduces its radar cross-section to about 1/50th of a B-52, comparable to a small fighter jet, thanks to its structure, serpentine intake paths, and radar-absorbent materials.
This bomber is not just perfect; it is the ideal weapon. It holds an impressive 61 world records for speed, payload, distance, and time to climb across various weight classes. In November 1993, three B-1Bs set a long-distance record, demonstrating their capability to undertake extended missions globally without refueling. This achievement was recognized by the National Aeronautic Association as one of the top 10 most memorable record flights of 1994.
Since its development, the B-1 bomber has undergone remarkable upgrades under the Conventional Mission Upgrade Program, transforming it into a formidable platform for precision-guided conventional weapons. The initial version, Block A, set the foundation with the capability to deliver non-precision gravity bombs. Block B, fielded in 1995, brought significant improvements with an enhanced synthetic aperture radar and upgraded defensive countermeasure system, boosting its radar capabilities and defensive measures. Block C further increased the bomber’s payload capacity, enabling the delivery of up to 30 cluster bomb units per sortie.
Block D introduced near-precision capability through improved weapons and targeting systems, along with advanced secure communications. This phase also integrated the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM), ALE-50 towed decoy system, and anti-jam radios, enhancing both accuracy and survivability. By September 2006, Block E had upgraded the avionics computers and incorporated new armaments like the Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser, AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon, and AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Munition. These additions substantially improved the bomber’s capability, enabling long-range precision strikes.
Although Block F, aimed at enhancing electronic countermeasures and jamming capabilities, was canceled in December 2002 due to cost overruns and delays, other advancements continued to enhance the B-1’s capabilities. In 2007, the Sniper XR targeting pod was integrated into the B-1 fleet, mounted on an external hardpoint near the forward bomb bay. Following accelerated testing, it was fielded in the summer of 2008, significantly enhancing the bomber’s targeting and precision capabilities.
