Offensive Weapons Carried by Rockwell B-1B Lancer

The B-1B is certified to carry the following weapons:

• B28, B61, and B83 free-fall nuclear bombs.  A maximum of 28 B28s, 24 B61s, or 24 B83 bombs could be carried
  
• Lockheed AGM-89 Short Range Attack Missile (SRAM). 14 feet long, 17.5 inch diameter, weight 2240 pounds. Powered by solid fuel rocket motor. 170 Kt W69 warhead. Each missile is pre-programmed with inertial guidance which can be updated by the OSO just before launch. Maximum range about 115 miles.  A maximum of 24 SRAMs could be carried.
  
• Boeing AGM-86 Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM). Slender fuselage with triangular cross section so that eight can be carried around a cruise missile launcher in the intermediate weapons bay (the two forward bays combined into one). 20 feet 9 inches long, launch weight 3200 pounds.   There are two versions--the ALCM which carries a W80-1 nuclear warhead with 200 KT yield, and the CALCM which carries a 3000-pound high explosive warhead. After launch, pivoted wings unfold from the bottom of the fuselage, a vertical fin and two tailplanes extend, and an air inlet for the Williams F107 turbofan pops out. Maximum range is 1500 nautical miles. The AGM-86B use a contour matching guidance system, whereas AGM-86C uses GPS for its guidance system. The B-1B is capable of carrying the AGM-86, but is not currently operational with the AGM-86. With the discontinuation of the nuclear mission for the B-1B, most AGM-86s now have conventional warheads only. The AGM-86C (the version of the AGM-86 with conventional warheads) was retired in November 2019,
  
• General Dynamics AGM-129 Advanced Cruise Missile (ACM). Subsonic, turbofan-powered cruise missile with a maximum range of 1800 nm and dramatically reduced radar signature. Pointed nose, forward-swept high wings, and tail with a ventral fin. The surface is covered with radar absorbing material. A "beavertail" overhangs the exhaust to defeat downward-looking radar. There are chines on the side of the nose cone. The air inlet is flush to minimize radar reflections. Once the wings were deployed all openings are automatically sealed throughout the entire flight. Length 21 feet, weight greater than 2760 pounds. Only four can be carried on the cruise missile launcher in the weapons bay. The turbofan is supplied by Williams Engineering of Detroit. The missile was equipped with a W80 nuclear warhead.

  Don't believe that the AGM-129 is currently operational with the B-1B, since it wouldn't really fit inside the bomb bay. However, the AGM-129 ACM is no longer in service. A decision was made in 2007 to retire the fleet. At the time of the decision there were approximately 460 in the inventory, located at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota and Barksdale Air Force Base, LA. In February 2008, the final destruction decision was received, and the ACM was directed to be demilitarized, within 66 months. Almost 17 months before the required deadline, all operational missiles have been completely destroyed.
  

• Mk 82 high explosive bomb. 84 of these can be carried on three conventional weapons modules, one in each weapons bay
  
• Mk 36 high explosive bomb
  
• Mk 84 high explosive bomb, 2000 pounds each. Between 24 and 30 of these can be carried.

Several other types of precision guided munitions can now be carried by the B-1B, or will be able to be carried by the plane in the relatively near future:

• Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM). This is a low-cost guidance kit that can be attached to existing 1000-pound bombs such as the Mk 83 or BLU-110 or to a 2000-pound bombs such as the Mk 84 or BLU-109. The JDAM kit is designated GBU-31 when attached to 2000-lb bombs and GBU-32 when attached to 1000-lb bombs.  Variants include the GBU-31(V)1/B which is installed on standard Mk-84 bombs, and the GBU-31(V)3/B which includes a BLU-109 penetrator warhead. Each weapons bay can can hold three GBU-31 JDAM 2000-pound bombs.  The kit includes a set of guidance fins that can be attached to the rear of the bomb, plus some strakes that provide lift. The bomb is guided by an inertial navigation system which steers the bomb to a predetermined target given to a GPS receiver. The system is not quite as accurate as laser-guided bombs, but the the system can be used in all weather conditions, since there is no need for target designation or visual acquisition. In addition, there is no need to remain in the target area to guide the bomb to impact via data link.
  
• Raytheon AGM-154 Joint Stand-Off Weapon (JSOW). This is a winged missile which can glide up to 40 miles and can carry either a unitary warhead or a set of cluster bombs. The A version has a warhead consisting of 145 BLU-97/B bomblets which have a shaped charged to defeat armor, a fragmenting case for material destruction and a zirconium ring for incendiary damage. The B version carries six BLU-108/B submunitions, where each is designed to release four projectiles that use an infrared sensor to detect their target. Upon detonating, a shaped charge is created by the explosion, enabling each to penetrate reinforced armor. It is guided by a combined GPS/INS and is capable of day or night and adverse weather operations. The B-1B is scheduled to be JSOW-capable by 2002. Variants include the AGM-154A/BLU-97 Combined Effects bomblet and BLU-107SFW submunitions for area and armored targets.
  
• Wind-Corrected Munitions Dispenser (WCMD). WCMD is an add-on to existing USAF tactical payload dispensers which will correct for wind drift durng drop from high altitudes. The bomber drops the munition on a prearranged GPS coordinate, and the modest corrections are imparted by small fins that pop out in flight. Each dispenser then releases 40 sub-munitions. The guidance system allows the bomber to release the WCMDs against high-threat targets without the need to overfly them. The maxium range is about 8 miles. CBU-103, CBU-104, and CBU-105 can be attached to the WCMD.
  
• AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM). This is a precision and stealthy cruise missile, weighing about 2000 pounds that is currently under development. It was started in FY 1996 as a replacement for the Tri-Service Standoff Attack Missile (TSSAM) that was cancelled due to technical problems and escalating costs.

Sources:

1. United States Military Aircraft Since 1909, Gordon Swanborough and Peter M. Bowers, Smithsonian, 1989.
   
   
2. American Combat Planes, Ray Wagner, Third Edition, Doubleday, 1982.
   
   
3. American Warplanes, Bill Gunston
   
   
4. Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation
   
   
5. Lancers on Guard, Eric Tegler, Combat Aircraft, Vol 2, No 9, May-June 1999.
   
   
6. Rockwell B-1B Lancer operators, Robert F. Dorr, World Air Power Journal, Vol 24, Spring 1996
   
   
7. Air Combat Command's Bomber Force, Don Logan, Combat Aircraft Vol 2, No 2, May-June 1999.
   
   
8. Air Intel, by Tom Kaminski, April 1999, Combat Aircraft Vol 2, No 1.
   
   
9. JDAM--The Future of Bombing, Lon Nordeen, Air Forces Monthly, No. 136, July.
   
   
10. The "Bone"--The Rockwell B-1B Lancer in USAF Service, Rene J. Francillon, Combat Aircraft, Vol 1, No. 10, November 1998.
    
    
11. E-mail from surfaway on AGM-129
    
    
12. E-mail from Vahe Demirjian on inactivation of AGM-129 and retirement of AGM-86C