Reagan Era B-1B Still Relevant Today

A US Air Force bomber first envisioned in the 1960s and produced in the 1980s,the Rockwell B-1B Lancer,saved from oblivion by President Ronald Reagan,remains an integral part of US Strategic Command,and will be for decades.Highly controversial for its cost and questions about its utility early in its life,it has proved much more valuable than many ever thought it would be. Indeed,the B-1B is the only supersonic bomber in the US inventory today,with the biggest payload.What is more,it is the cheapest to fly,even given the extensive maintenance and upgrades it requires. Capable of flying at Mach 1.25 at altitude,or 950 mph/1130 kmh,it was originally solely a nuclear bomber.By the 1990s,it had been given a conventional role as well.In 1995,it was removed from the nuclear forces. Though not technically a stealth aircraft,it is about fifty times less detectable than the ancient B-52 and features variable-sweep wings.Forward sweep is for takeoff,landing and high altitude maximum cruise.Aft sweep is for high subsonic and supersonic flight. The Lancer is still getting upgrades to its cockpit displays,communications and instrumentation.It holds 61 world records for such things as speed,payload,distance and climb rate.It can strike anywhere in the world and safely return to a broad variety of bases without refueling.Extensive electronic countermeasures,reflective coating and stealthy intake design make it highly survivable. The B-1B has been extensively used for missions in the Iraq and Afghan Wars,as well as in Operation Odyssey Dawn over Libya in 2011;Operation Desert Fox in 1998;and Kosovo in 1999.In the Afghan War,it has been used in an armed overwatch capacity,loitering in flight until tasked by ground forces for precision strike with advanced munitions. The Air Force intends to fly the Lancer into the 2030s,gradually replacing it with the Next-Generation Bomber.It believes the B-1B is particularly well-suited for the new Pivot to East Asia strategy,given its long range,speed and survivability.It will continue to invest in this reliable aircraft in support of Pacific and other strategic objectives.