Posted on 01/16/2008 5:04:41 PM PST by SandRat
The first of dozens of supersonic Air Force bombers have begun to land at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base to be upgraded as part of an effort to increase the jet's role in conflicts abroad.
The U.S. Air Force's entire fleet of 65 B-1 Lancer bombers is scheduled to move through D-M in the coming months as base personnel and defense contractors outfit the aircraft with the latest targeting and surveillance technology.
Work on the first B-1 already has begun and should take another week and a half to complete, said 2nd Lt. Mary Pekas, a base spokeswoman.
Another bomber is scheduled to land in February, with new jets arriving each week, according to a base news release. There may be as many as five bombers being upgraded on base at any given time.
Originally developed as a replacement for the B-52, the B-1 is a swept-wing, four-engine jet capable of reaching 900 mph and carrying nuclear weapons.
The bomber is much larger than the A-10 attack jets based at D-M. Flying at 1,000 feet, the B-1 generates noise roughly equivalent to that of a chain saw, according to sound comparison figures.
To limit the noise impact over Tucson, Col. Kent Laughbaum, the base commander, has ordered that the bombers take off and land from the southeast end of D-M when weather allows.
The upgrades, done through a Boeing contractor, will modify the B-1 so that it can carry advanced targeting pods. The pods will allow the aircraft to send images of the battlefield directly to ground units while helping the bomber's crew distinguish enemy forces from friendly troops, the news release said.
The pods also will upgrade the B-1's reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities.
Boeing is handling the work through a nearly $3 million contract awarded by the U.S. government to Lockheed Martin.
To install the new technology, workers will have to uncover attachment points that were sealed after the United States signed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with what was then the Soviet Union.
The attachment points were capable of holding long-range air-launched nuclear cruise missiles.
The points will be modified to hold the targeting pods, though they won't be able to carry nuclear weapons, thereby still complying with the terms of the treaty, Scott Hines, D-M's treaty-compliance officer, said in the release.
The upgrades will take about two years to complete and will be conducted at the base's Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group, commonly known as the "boneyard," said Tech. Sgt. James Fisher, another D-M spokesman.
The maintenance center already is home to nearly 20 B-1s that were taken out of service in 2002 as a cost-cutting measure.
The B-1s that are still flying provide air support in the anti-terrorism Operation Enduring Freedom, flying missions almost daily, according to Air Force activity summaries.
Five facts about the B-1
1. The B-1 Lancer originally was developed in the 1970s to transport and launch long-range nuclear cruise missiles.
2. The four-engine, swept-wing aircraft is capable of reaching speeds of around 900 mph and can carry up to 75,000 pounds of weapons.
3. The Lancer is 146 feet long with a varying wingspan of between 137 feet and 79 feet, depending on whether the wings are swept forward or back.
4. The bomber has a crew of four: a pilot, co-pilot and two weapon systems officers.
5. Each bomber costs $283.1 million.
Source: U.S. Air Force
D-M impact panel meets tonight / b2
● Contact reporter Aaron Mackey at 573-4138 or at amackey@azstarnet.com.
Thye B-1 isn’t supersonic. Next.
It is when it's moving fayster than the speed of sounde.
Huh. Not supersonic? I would have sworn it was...guess you learn something new every day...
Some say it is:
http://www.globalaircraft.org/planes/b-1b_lancer.pl
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-1_Lancer
http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=27
bad to the bone
It is so slick that it is supersonic when it is sitting on the runway.
You forgot the “/sarc” tag...
Transonic speeds go to about 1.20 mach and the max speed at altitude for the B-1B is claimed to be 1.25 mach. So, yeah, I guess in the absolute perfect part of its performance envelope it’s just barely supersonic. It would never conduct a mission in that part of the envelope though. At sea level it’s capable of .95 maqch. Respectable but not “supersonic”.
In view of the SUV/front gate crash you posted, it’s time to cut off deliveries and scan on base civilian personnel.
Yeah, but I wonder if it’s fuel tanks leak?
Speed: 900-plus mph (Mach 1.2 at sea level)
http://www.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=81 (That would be like the USAF website)
Mach 1.2 at altitude, mach .95 at sea level. Mach 1.2 isn’t considered supersonic. That’s the top of the transonic range.
“Oh you’re trying so hard to recover!” Commendable.
Did you ever watch the miss America Beauty pageant?
What about “Are you smarter that a fifth grader?"
Maybe you were trying to trick us? LOL
Transonic. Look it up.
Only when the engines are turned off. ;)
-Traveler
Thanks for pointing out the obvious which is moot anyhow.
Read that little part ****AT SEA LEVEL****
Now go pick up your dribble cup for the drool running down your face and watch your videos.
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The B1 was originally designed for high speed low altitude flight just like an F111. He can very well go supersonic at low altitudes and it is actuually at higher altitudes where his performace is less than ideal.
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