A B-1B Lancer with a Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) flies in the skies above Edwards Air Force Base, California, Nov. 20. The flight was a demonstration of the B-1B’s external weapons carriage capabilities. (Air Force photo by Ethan Wagner)
Sputnik: Photos: US Air Force Marks First by Flying B-1 Bomber With Externally-Mounted Cruise Missile
In August 2019, then-US Strategic Command (STRATCOM) chief Gen. John Hyten revealed to congressional lawmakers that only a small fraction of the US Air Force’s 62 B-1B bombers were mission ready; however, over the past several months more of the Lancer aircraft have been improved as officials also seek to bolster the bomber’s weapons capabilities.
For the very first time, the US Air Force has proven that it has the ability to fly a B-1B Lancer bomber carrying an externally-mounted stealth cruise missile, which the service successfully showed off during a November flight test, it recently confirmed.
The successful captive-carry demonstration occurred on November 20 and involved a B-1B Lancer assigned to the service’s 419th Flight Test Squadron, part of the 412th Test Wing that serves under the Global Power Combined Test Force.
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Update #1: In First, Air Force Flies B-1 Bomber with Externally Mounted Stealthy Cruise Missile (Military.com)
Update #2: The Bone just got badder: Air Force flies external cruise missile on B-1 (Air Force Times)
WNU Editor: It looks like the B-1 bomber fleet is going to be flying around for a while.
