Rockwell B-1R Lancer

In 2004 the Air Force requested that the aircraft industry submit proposals for a long-range strike platform, for development beginning in 2008, leading to an initial operational capability in 2015 and full operational capability in 2020. Boeing submitted a proposal for a "B-1R", where "R" stood for "Regional", which would be fitted with the Pratt & Whitney F-119 engine used on the F/A-22. Four F-119s would give the B-1R a top speed of over Mach 2 and an operational radius of 4,800 kilometers (3,000 miles). It would feature improved stealth features and countermeasures, state-of-the-art radar, AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles for self-defense, and a new light air-to-surface standoff missile.

The Air Force was simply investigating options, and Boeing provided a set of other concepts, such as a long-range robot bomber, a ballistic missile with a maneuvering reentry vehicle, and long-range cruise missiles. Air Force officials have also given some thought to using the B-1B to carry new high-powered attack lasers now in development, but this is a purely speculative concept at this time.


Specifications (B-1R)

General characteristics

* Crew: 4 (aircraft commander, copilot, offensive systems officer and defensive systems officer)
* Payload: 125,000 lb (56,600 kg) ; internal and external ordnance combined
* Length: 146 ft (44.5 m)
* Wingspan:
o Extended: 137 ft (41.8 m)
o Swept: 79 ft (24.1 m)
* Height: 34 ft (10.4 m)
* Wing area: 1,950 ft² (181.2 m²)
* Airfoil: NA69-190-2
* Empty weight: 192,000 lb (87,100 kg)
* Loaded weight: 326,000 lb (148,000 kg)
* Max takeoff weight: 477,000 lb (216,400 kg)
* Powerplant: 4× General Electric F101-GE-102 augmented turbofans
o Dry thrust: 14,600 lbf (64.9 kN) each
o Thrust with afterburner: 30,780 lbf (136.92 kN) each
* Fuel capacity, optional: 10,000 U.S. gal (38,000 L) fuel tank for 1–3 internal weapons bays each

Performance

* Maximum speed:
o At altitude: Mach 1.25 (721 knots, 830 mph, 1,340 km/h at 50,000 ft/15,000 m altitude)
o At low level: Mach 0.92 (700 mph, 1,130 km/h at 200–500 ft/60-150 m altitude)
* Range: 6,478 nmi (7,456 mi, 11,998 km)
* Combat radius: 2,993 nmi (3,445 mi, 5,543 km)
* Service ceiling: 60,000 ft (18,000 m)
* Wing loading: 167 lb/ft² (816 kg/m²)
* Thrust/weight: 0.38

Armament
Guns: 1× 30 mm (1.18 in) GAU-8/A Avenger gatling cannon with 4.000 rounds
* Hardpoints: six external hardpoints for 50,000 lb (22,700 kg) of ordnance (use for weapons currently restricted by START I treaty[87]) and 3 internal bomb bays for 75,000 lb (34,000 kg) of ordnance.
* Bombs:
o 84× Mk-82 AIR inflatable retarder general purpose bombs[142]
o 81× Mk-82 low drag general purpose bombs[143]
o 84× Mk-62 Quickstrike sea mines[144]
o 24× Mk-65 naval mines[145]
o 30× CBU-87/89/CBU-97 Cluster Bomb Units (CBU)[N 1]
o 30× CBU-103/104/105 Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser
o 24× GBU-31 JDAM GPS guided bombs[N 2]
o 15× GBU-38 JDAM GPS guided bombs (Mk-82 general purpose warhead)[N 3]
o 24× Mk-84 general purpose bombs
o 12× AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon
o 96× or 144× GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb GPS guided bombs[N 4] (not fielded on B-1 yet)
o 24× AGM-158 JASSM
o 24× B61 thermonuclear variable-yield gravity bombs[145] (no longer carried)
o 24x B83 nuclear bomb[145] (no longer carried)

Avionics

* 1× AN/APQ-164 forward-looking offensive passive phased-array radar
* 1× AN/ALQ-161 radar warning and defensive jamming equipment
* 1× AN/ASQ-184 defensive management system
* 1× Lockheed Martin Sniper XR targeting pod (optional)