Capable of lugging 75,000 pounds of internal ordnance, the Lancer truly represents a bomb truck in the skies.
As tensions in the Pacific between Washington and Beijing continue to ramp up, more and more American military assets are landing in the Asian continent. Earlier this month, a fleet of B-1B bombers landed at Misawa Air Base in Japan, marking the first time the Air Force has dispatched a Bomber Task Force rotation positioned in the country. Following a joint training mission alongside the South Korean Air Force, the bombers departed their home station at Dyess Air Force Base in Texas. According to a Pacific Air Forces press release, the bombers, airmen, and support equipment flew in from the 9th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron and landed in Misawa on April 15. While American bombers have flown into Japan previously, the fact that a whole fleet of B-1s will be stationed there indicates U.S. officials are taking the threat posed by the People’s Republic of China (and Pyongyang) seriously.
The director of operations for the deployed squadron, Lt. Col. Christopher Travelstead, commented that “BTF 25-2 showcases the U.S. commitment to deterring threats and maintaining regional stability,” adding that “These missions in the Indo-Pacific ensure our B-1 crews are highly trained and ready to respond anytime, anywhere, to defend U.S. interests and support our allies, securing a stable Indo-Pacific—where all nations operate freely under a rules-based order while promoting global peace and prosperity.”
Introducing the B-1 Lancer
The North American Rockwell-designed B-1 “Lancer” bomber was conceptualized during the Cold War. At the time, the Air Force required a new platform that could combine the top speed of the B-58 Hustler with the range and payload of the B-52 Stratofortress. Though the B-1 program was temporarily paused through the 1970s, the bomber series was revived under the Reagan administration. By 1985, the first deliveries of the platform commenced, and the Lancer formerly entered service with the Strategic Air Command one year later.
Capable of lugging 75,000 pounds of internal ordnance, the Lancer truly represents a bomb truck in the skies. The formidable aircraft can lug a host of munitions, including cluster bombs, general-purpose bombs, and even specialized munitions. Last year, a Lancer bomber was spotted flying over the Mojave Desert with what appeared to be a GBU-72 Joint Direct Attack Munition. As detailed by The Aviationist, this advanced 5,000-pound “bunker-buster” munition was designed to be able to be safely launched from an aircraft and have the power to destroy hardened underground facilities. This potential capability would undoubtedly make the B-1B Lancer even more lethal than it already is.
In addition to its hefty armament load, the Lancer features sophisticated avionics like a synthetic aperture radar that can track, target, and engage moving targets. Every Lancer is also equipped with a Global Positioning System-aided Inertial Navigation System, which enables crew members to navigate without using ground-based navigation aids. The bombers also feature Combat Track II radios, which provide security beyond the line of sight.
Considering the Lancer’s prowess, its position in Japan should serve as a stark deterrent to U.S. adversaries.
About the Author: Maya Carlin
Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin. Carlin has over 1,000 articles published over the last several years on various defense issues.
Image: DVIDS.
