Insane Speed and Power: The B-1 Lancer Story
Go to ground.news/pilotphoto to access data driven information. Subscribe through my link for less than $1/month or get 30% off unlimited access this month only."
PilotPhotog Merch Store!
shop.pilotphotog.com
Join me as we soar into the incredible world of the B-1 Lancer, one of the most lethal and technologically advanced bombers in the U.S. Air Force's arsenal. In this comprehensive video, we explore the fascinating history, cutting-edge technology, and awe-inspiring capabilities of this supersonic beast.
Discover how the B-1 Lancer, often dubbed as 'The Bone,' revolutionized strategic bombing with its blend of speed, stealth, and firepower. From its initial design challenges to its pivotal roles in various military operations, we delve deep into what makes the B-1 Lancer a truly deadly force in the skies.
Whether you're an aviation enthusiast, a history buff, or simply fascinated by military technology, this video is your ticket to understanding why the B-1 Lancer remains a key player in the United States' defense strategy.
Don't forget to hit like, subscribe, and ring the bell for more incredible content about military aircraft and their stories. Buckle up and get ready to be blown away by the deadly prowess of the B-1 Lancer
Join this channel to get access to perks: / @pilotphotog
OR
Support me on Patreon: / pilotphotog
Channel Members and Patrons get early access to videos, sneak previews, and other perks
Follow me on other social media:
📸 Instagram - / pilotphotog
📖Facebook - / pilotphotog
🎙 Podcast: pilotphotog.buzzsprout.com/
🐦Twitter - / pilotphotog
👾Twitch: / pilotphotog
Credits/Attributions:
"The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement."
Department of Defense
Northrop Grumman
Lockheed Martin
Boeing
Raytheon
Pratt & Whitney
General Electric
All animations are produced by me Tog and are property of this channel. Now you know!
If you actually read this far, comment Yellow 22!
#B1Lancer #MilitaryAircraft #AviationHistory #SupersonicBomber #AirForcePower #CombatAircraft #AviationTechnology #StrategicBomber #TheBone #MilitaryMight
Go to ground.news/pilotphoto to access data driven information. Subscribe through my link for less than $1/month or get 30% off unlimited access this month only."
@PilotPhotog Question regarding your 3d renders, you are using Blender correct? What render engine do you use, Eevee or Cycles?
@@grindkerenskyboth, it just depends on how much time I have to get a scene done. I really need to upgrade my GPU
One just crashed right?
Someone knew exactly what they were doing when they proposed to name it the B-1R AKA the boner.
When I was in Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar I get to see this magnificent aircraft take off. It was awesome. I just had a feeling someone was just about to get their ass kicked.
I was a 20 year old mechanic assistant when one of these did an emergency landing at the old AF Reserve base in Pittsburgh. I stood fire watch during a full-power engine runup test. I was about 50 feet away and the noise was just incredible. I was used to working on C123s with their tiny auxiliary jet engines. The B1 engine was so loud it made me nauseous and gave me the runs-it rumbled my insides so hard I could barely breathe. I was wearing ear plugs AND ear muffs, and my ears were ringing for days. Here’s the kicker-the test was for a SINGLE engine. It was glorious.
That’s CRAZY!
Forget the right to peace and quiet, what about my right to fun and noise
I lived in Derby Kansas where most of the B1’s are stationed (or at least used to be 20 yrs ago) and they would take off all the time and even from far away it was absolutely incredible at how loud those things were. It’s so wild.
I was a B-1b specialist flight supervisor at Dyess AFB with escort privileges in the 80s. If one of the troop's family came on base to visit, I'd try to accomodate a "25 cent tour" of the flightline and take them to the hammerhead to experience an aircraft launch. It was like standing 200' from the Space Shuttle with the heat and sound energy that literally made your eyeballs shake in your skull. I never took their quarters but the smiles saying thank you were good enough.
I was on a houseboat on Lake Powell when one of these flew over at somewhat low altitude. Withe the echo’s off the canyon walls you would have thought the world was ending.
As one of the seven "OG" B-1B crew chiefs, I really appreciate this video. Very well done! I had the honor of being assigned to the first operational B-1B. It's a truly amazing aircraft, and I'm so happy that it is still in service. Miss those days, and miss the outstanding men I served alongside.
My hats off to you sir, thank you for your service and your compliment - from someone who worked on this incredible airframe - is the very best kind I can receive. I'm just a private pilot and history/aviation buff - thanks again!
Hey Crew Chief the B-1 is the best looking aircraft we have. Had it been placed in production the XB-70 would have been the most beautiful but it was cancelled. In my opinion beauty contestant number 3 is Convair’s B-58 Hustler!
Bombers are so 20th century. Missiles are the way forward not an overweight, overpriced delivery system.
@@FindanDandy that's fine. I'd rather have something manned, as mistakes do happen. And with the condition of the current resident of the big house in DC I want someone that can function well enough to stand trial making the final decision about deployment of weapons.
A B1B flew over the LA county fair in 2003 and our high school was very close to the fairgrounds. No one knew what the sound was but sure enough the pilots did a loud and low pass and the sound was deafening throughout the whole valley…it was incredible. The Lancer is my favorite bomber I love the look of this beautiful monster.
It's so damned cool! hahaha
Ever heard 4-5 f16 thunder birds flying it's the only thing I can even describe it n its still not quite the same it's a unique sounding ac
It is a great aircraft I know what you say about the loud and low pass.
I yhink the B-1 is still one of the best looking planes of all time. It just looks the business, especially with full afterburners going out of those 4 monster engines. Menacing, intimidating yet so elegant.
Man you freaking said it brother. So well put.
Amen brother. I thought I was practically alone in my love for this beauty and beast. I spent hours gawking at the photos of these as a kid in my dad's military vehicle books
100% one of the best looking planes out there.
I couldn't agree more. Pure sex, murder and mystique .
@@mattbennett2375Murder is the reason this weapon system exists. To send the enemies of The United States of America into oblivion without haste or prejudice! The B1 Lancer supersonic transcontinental heavy bomber. The BIG Stick of our United States Air Force. 🇺🇸
The B1 is the most beautiful and graceful bomber ever created by any nation anywhere. I am proud to say I have met and know not one, but two retired B One pilots from the Air Force base in South Dakota.
Nah sorry but the most beautiful graceful bomber was and always will be the avro vulcan .
@@paulthomson9014 The Vulcan is, or was a graceful and beautiful aircraft. The Vulcan was an engineering masterpiece that was ahead of its time. Love that plane. Best BRITISH bomber of all time. But, I like the B One better. The contemporary B58 to the Vulcan, while faster was not nearly as good looking.
TU 160 It is similar in appearance to the American B-1 Lancer but is an entirely different class of aircraft, being a stand-off missile platform. The Tu-160 is also significantly larger and faster than the B-1B and has a greater combat range. It is also the largest variable-sweep combat aircraft ever built
@@ziam8558 Saying that the Blackjack is a very similar aircraft to the B1 is almost like saying the TU4 was similar to the B29. Communist countries are not good for much, but they can steal your intellectual property and make copies of your work pretty well. The TU 160 is not an exact copy of the original B1 but it is close. The b1 nose, cockpit and front fuselage are much more flowing and better looking. I am sure that anything electronic in the B1 is far better as well.
It looks like it’s designers were in love with the F/B-111 and thought “let’s make a new version, but BIGGER!”
Hired on at Rockwell Oct 1983 at Palmdale Air Force plant 42. Did field rep at Ellsworth, Dyess, and Grand Forks AFB all SAC bases at time. Worked on all 100 B models. Most notably the thermonuclear flash shields. Several aluminum panels that cover the windshield, each fitted with an automatic darkening glass similar to high end welder’s hood. Worked post production bird strike, over wing fairing fire detection/suppression and chafe and flare retrofits. Transferred to Space Division worked on Space Shuttle Endeavour. Installed main engine gimbals, and crew compartment fire detection/suppression systems. Laid-off in 1994. My six and last lay-off. 1995, transitioned to California Department of Corrections as a correctional officer until retirement 2009. Thank you President Reagan, because of you, I met my wife of 32 years. What an adventure. How time flies.
I was on 14 when B-1b SN17 was delivered. It was taking off right over me on way to Dyess. It banked 360, hit the burners and swept the wings. and BANG, it was gone like Star Trek. The news was full of stories saying it didn't work at the time.
Did an interview at the Palmdale plant in 1985 for a flight test position. Decided to go with Boeing as I was skeptical that the 200 airframes would be built. Turned out I was right. Did a short maintenance hop which was a hoot. Was like renting a new Ferrari after flying in the old B-52 over at NASA Dryden. I left the aviation field due to the high risk of layoffs, so I get your experiences.
Wow. You have had an amazing life. If we lead multiple lives, I hope one of mine is that cool.
I was a TACP/JTAC in Afghanistan in ‘09. Easily quarter of my strikes were B1, half were OH58 the last quarter mix of other platforms.
Man, we need those Kiowas. Need them both. No replacement for on time delivery
Thank you.
AFSOC?
@@Bacongrease00 AF Special Operations Command
@@rhoefelmeyer JDAM?
I was stationed at DMAFB, LAFB, and KAFB in my career and I have heard this monster take off multiple times. Setting off car alarms as it goes. Loudest jet I have ever witnessed.
100% I was at Edwards AFB
I've been fortunate enough to witness two B-1Bs take off in full afterburner, not 200m away from where I was. It was a once-in-a-lifetime and lasting experience...not to mention the other 100+ military aircraft that took off from the same runway in the span of an hour. Wow...just WOW.
Wow that sounds like an incredible experience I’ve only witnessed a low and fast fly by by the Lancer once…the sound was deafening and it was a memorable experience for sure. I’m jealous of your experience id love to witness that spectacle.
Smells like Minot😊
Sounds like Al Udied, yeah I was there in 2005 and 2008(also saw the B-1 exploding).
@@superskullmaster it was Maple Flag at the RCAF base at Cold Lake.
@@newman977 nice. I was GSE (or AGE as we call it in the AF) so i got to roam the flightline at Al Udied and I would sometimes sit at this little weather station right beside the runway when planes took off.
It would be amazing to see a brand new redesign for this bomber, just like how the air force went from B2 to B21.
What would it be called? The B12? 🤓
The B-1R
It was not picked but I hope they change their minds.@@happylittletree1727
The B2 to B21 was only possible based on the old existing German studies and plans. No such program exists beyond the B1.
Great vid! The B1 is one of my favourite aeroplanes, such a beautiful aircraft.
The correct word is “sexy!”
Beautiful, sexy as hell, and packs a real wallop, while setting off every car alarm for miles just taking OFF. (evil grin)
About 30 years ago I was driving on Rt93 in Nevada and was passed by a low and really slow B1. There were other planes flanking but I just was in awe and didn’t bother to ID them. I was driving 70mph southbound and the planes took a turn under the mountain tops and disappeared. That was the highlight of that trip.
We live in the Black Hills and these are overhead often due to our proximity to Ellsworth. They are LOUD. Still one of the most aesthetically pleasing aviation designs of all time.
How often. Most of them can't get off the ground. Only a few of them are flying.
Buddy. Let me tell you congratulations on slipping that B-1R joke in at the end and absolutely no one saying a thing about it. Very much enjoyed that one
My grandpa was inspector for the B1-B project and it was the first plane I ever got to see get the supersonic skirt at an air show at Edwards Air Force Base. The Bone still remains my favorite plane to date, and it's so amazing to watch fly
An Absolutely ROCKING aircraft! In 2002 at the IRL 200 in Kansas City, they had a BONE low flyover before the start of the race. The organizers goofed and the report only bright flash fireworks did not go off when they wanted them to, so the BONE flew around for a second pass and you talk about a low flyover! The fireworks went off that time and WOW I couldn't care less about the race after that!! LOVE the B1 Lancer!
Saw one of these at an air show. I've not heard anything louder in my life. It's another level. It shakes your body to it's core. The ground rumbles like multiple trains are going by.
YEP, ME TOO AT LUKE DAYS, LUKE AFB AZ
I’ve seen two B1-B’s perform a dual take off from Miami International Airport - taking off eastbound over the city and slowly turning north. I was on 836 eastbound about to jump on I-95 N (that highway is way up there…. Above rooftop level of most buildings around) so I had one helluva view. Truly amazing. Something I will never forget. The Bone is most favorite bomber so it was a treat for sure.
I drove longhaul in the 80s & 90s and I was at a truck stop at a place called Box Elder South Dakota which is right on the immediate flight path for Ellsworth AFB, I was taking a nap in the bunk and one of these was taking off extreemly low level right over my truck. You can't imagine how loud it was and how much pressure was produced getting that heavyweight into the sky. It literally rocked my 80,000 lb tractor trailer. Beautiful plane truly one of a kind.
To be able to rock an 80,000 lb rig really puts it into perspective - thanks for commenting and truck drivers bring us every product we touch, thank you for driving the long haul.
I was at an air show about 10 or 12 years ago, and one of these flew right over our heads. It was like being in the middle of an earthquake. It was insanely loud and the ground shook. it sounded like every cars alarm went off in the parking lot. It was one of the coolest things I ever witnessed.
" If the wings don't swing it ain't no thing ". ( I built F-14's for Grumman Aerospace for 15 years ). One beautiful aircraft in aviation history. Thanks for the video !
Glad you enjoyed it and I can only imagine how awesome it must have been to work at Bethpage - thank you for your contributions to a legendary airframe!
Thank you for your kind comment ! It was a great honor watching an Tomcat you built fly for the first time, it was truly one of histories greatest fighters.@@PilotPhotog
@@joemoore4027the greatest compliment I can receive on my videos are from individuals such as yourself who worked on, built, designed, or flew these incredible aircraft. I did a "what if" video on the future versions of the Tomcat, in case you missed it here it is: kzhead.info/sun/i8qxhtKdnIivfoU/bejne.htmlsi=2JOnLPS_jSiUW1fz
Swing wing planes have a lot of problems always have always will way more complex engineering and very high maintenance.
@@jamesholden5664 While this is true, swing-wing designs were able to overcome design hurdles to expanding an aircraft's performance envelope before computer-controlled stabilization (as with the F-16) and thrust vectoring (as with the Harrier, Supermarine Harrier, F-22, and F-35) were introduced. I still think it's one of the coolest design innovations in the first century of heavier-than-air flight.
Watching these videos reminds me of how many memories of mine revolve around aviation. Three examples, a speech I gave in high school on the B-2 and passed public speech class, and when I was a kid, we went to an air show at Gowen Field that featured a demo flight with the "B-one". My mom said she liked it because it was loud. The announcer said the B-1 was leaving to do a fly over at Portland, Oregon (Gowen Fieldis in Boise, ID) , and would be back shortly, and it was about an hour later. The B-52 made an appearance over a cross country meet that I was at in Vale Oregon (although I'm sure that was a "happy accident")😂
Nothing can replace Grandpa Buff. The B-52 will fly forever.
The SR-71 is the most beautiful plane ever built. The B-1B is the most beautiful and terrifying plane ever built.
News release, they had one crash upon landing yesterday evening. 85-085 was the serial number.
Did not realize that - I hope the crew is OK
Crew is OK@@PilotPhotog
@@PilotPhotog Yes, they plowed into the ground at a landing angle so there's no way that you crash during landing in very low visibility and then get to react by ejecting unless they did it and they just landed looks like in the soil next to the runway. Sounds like one of the crew members wasn't exactly ready and has back injury. This is why another reason to not have a capsule better to have seats because they can get out of any 0 0 situation.
@@JSFGuy ploughed ?
@@davidrobertson5700 Yes landed in the dirt..
Thank you so much for this awesome video! I first fell in love with the B-1 when my boyfriend took me to the Wings over the Rockies Museum in Denver Colorado. I first saw the front of the aircraft and then found the backend and was in aww of how HUGE it truly was! Now every chance I can learn about it I love it! Again THANK YOU!
It is an amazing aircraft indeed, glad you enjoyed it!
You failed to mention it also included the TFR that was in the F-111s that allowed it to fly under enemy radar at very low altitude. A MAJOR benefit to making it successful. Hard mode on the B1 was like being in a jeep @500mph
And yet it was _never once used that way in actual combat_ , and now it is no longer certified for that flight regime. Should have never been built. Congress and the Pentagon were actually against, and NATO wanted the US to use the money to build more cruise missiles, but Rockwell promised a bunch of congressmen that were up for re-election that they would build parts for the B1B in their district.
I got to sit in Symphony of Destruction, the aircraft in the thumbnail and some of the animations, back in 2008. I was stationed at Ellsworth and working for the Bones was the best assignment of my career!
Thank you Pilot! We're excited to be supporting your work. For anyone interested in staying informed, check out the link above.
Watching the B-1 come and go around Abilene never gets old.
You made some very insightful, yet often overlooked points. Well done, this was a great video.
I live outside of Dyess AFB and see these beautiful planes flying everyday. Unfortunately, the war on terror has ran the B-1 into the ground. They’re requiring a lot of man hours to just get in to the air. Their maintenance requirements are more costly than the B-52. We’re hoping we will receive the B-21 that is suppose to replace the B-1. I believe the bomber force will be made up of B-21, B-1, and B-52 for awhile. Especially with the situation with China.
Probably true. But a low-level, very fast penetrator that packs a big punch might be a nice ace in the hole to keep the bad guys guessing.
The Bone had maintenance issues before 9-11. It is complex, and has spare part issues, as well as poor radar and avionics system troubleshooting issues, as well as manning shortfalls which create a huge repair backlog problems.
@@blkjet117 But I bet it's fun to fly.
I live in View. They fly over our house a lot.
Really? They just used B-1 lancers other day against targets in Syria and Iraq! They flew all the way from US to there targets and back unscathed
The B-1B Lancer is a devastatingly beautiful aircraft.
I still believe the Russian Tu-160 was copied from the B-1
Yep…. You helped us out boys… outstanding and thank you for your angel watching/doing service 💪
I like to think of it as a spiritual successor to the B-58 Hustler.
Bone just devastated Iran
Iran proxies in Syria and Iraq from what I heard. 7 targets all together. I also heard they took off from US, flew all the way over there, bombed the targets and flew right back lol what a badass aircraft!
No bombs were dropped in Iran
Odd timing with the one that the crew had to punch out of last night. Crew is ok, total hull loss.
That's terrible! This is the first I've heard of that, will have to look into it. It's great to hear the crew is safe
For as long as they've been in the air they have an exalent record only 2 lost as far as I know
@@Drobert882 Yup! Sounds like the were trying land in some really gnarly weather and things went awry.
Thank you for this informative channel!
This was an impressive aircraft. I was fortunate enough to be in the Air Force not long before it was retired. Due to my job I got to talk with some pilots of these craft. I remember just walking around the planes on the flight line and admiring them. The only thing that ever upstaged that was when I was allowed in a restricted hanger to look closely at an F-117 stealth fighter. It was so much smaller than I expected. A truly memorable experience.
One thing that’s not often talked about with the B-1 is its maneuverability. The last Air Show I attended many years ago a pilot was doing maneuvers with the B-1 that I only ever thought possible with a Fighter … everybody left the air show talking about it.
TU-160 It is similar in appearance to the American B-1 Lancer but is an entirely different class of aircraft, being a stand-off missile platform. The Tu-160 is also significantly larger and faster than the B-1B and has a greater combat range. It is also the largest variable-sweep combat aircraft ever built
Excellent video full of facts details and a pure pleasure to watch. I am a pilot I have been for 43 years and I absolutely love the history that was presented the ups and downs of the finances through the presidencies and I just think this would be a great educational video for anybody interested in military aircraft. Great job!
The US has 4 B-1B's stationed permanently in Norway (Ørland I think) since 2021. So there's an increased USAF presence in Norway now. The SR-71's also flew from Norway several times in its day.
This plane looks amazing and one of the reasons its one of my fav its bc this bomber looks like a upscale version of an fighter jet!👌
The B-52 is my favorite bomber. I honestly think in my opinion, the B-52 is our best bomber, just my opinion. But this B-1 Lancer is a BEAST. It packs a serious punch, I'm glad it's in the USAF arsenal.
I saw one of these while I was in Egypt for the last REFORGER operation. The sound of the engines was awesome.
A beautiful warplane!
I love this airplane to freaking much... and *yes* as a child I always thought of this as the F-14's big sister. It just looks so GOOD!
Whitesnake, Rock me til I'm bad, To the bone ! Thanks for the deep-dive into this capable amazing plane.
Whole new meaning to the expression 'Bone of contention'. Thank you for your video 🙂...
Enter the bone zone!
Those beauties have a much more suave name: Lancer. "Bone" is tres gauche.
I worked access control force protection at TAFB. My post was the North end of main runway maybe 300 yards. I hated recertification days. They were incredibly noisy, and it vibrated such an area, that I went to housing with my bones literally hurting. Saw two come in with full hydraulic failure. Fluid everywhere. I still love the Bone! Its loud though.
the BONE has always been a baddazz - thanks for showing this badazz bomber some love on your channel !!
I love the B1. But you gotta admit it can be fairly expensive at times, and the swing wing is hell to maintain.
Thank you. Good info here.
I worked at an air force base that had frequent B1B activity. Every time one would take off, hundreds of car alarms would be sounding off in the parking lots. It's louder than the Concorde, and it makes your body rumble if you are within a mile of the runway. It's an awesome spectacle to witness one taking off.
We're just gonna gloss right over the B-One-R?
Check out The Fat Electrician. He covers that part.😁
The bones original top speed was recorded at mach 2.2, but due to the massive fuel consumption, and better air, to air refueling schedules, it was governed to Mach 1.2. All the old stats from the earlier days of production had the top speed listed at 2.2
The top speed was lower in the production aircraft due to the fixed inlets, which reduced the cost.
Great video! Thank you!
2 Lancers were the fly over for the Indy500 a few years ago and they absolutely shook the hell out of the Grandstands an your insides, it was amazing. The B1-B Lancer is my absolute favorite Bomber.
I was driving back from Colorado to Dallas somewhere in the panhandle of Texas by myself on a stretch of road so flat I could see for miles ahead and behind. I saw a black dot on the horizon in front of me and in a few seconds I realized it was a black B-1 coming straight at me so low it shook my SUV when it went over. I knew exactly what it was as I was an air-force brat and built a model of one as a kid. It scared the shit out of me, and I'm sure a pilot was getting a kick out of it. I have no idea to this day why one would be out there. edit- I see in the comments that Dyess Airforce Base is in the region with B1s. I would have been well northwest of Abilene about 10 years ago, so that solves the mystery. Why they were strafing civilians on a desolate highway is a different question.
Yes they where at Dyess AFB.
i saw a b1-b do a very high subsonic very low altitude flyby for an airshow. i was not at the air show, i was on the roof of the building i worked at, right in the approach path. you could hear the air scream around it seemingly before you heard the engine noise. seemingly. it didnt go supersonic that low of course. but it seemed like i was 100 feet away, at the closest, but that is also distorted from perception. must have been higher. it is very large. it was just so crazy to see it coming right at us, then fly by so close then to the airshow very close by.
It doesn’t go supersonic because it’s not allowed to go supersonic during peacetime over anywhere people live it probably could go supersonic on the deck if it needed to
@@jameson1239yeah, and certainly not at sub 1k feet for a flyby.
Well done. Very enjoyable.
I've always loved the B-1. For years, no one talked about this aircraft. I believe this machine was and is still the best kept secret in plain sight !
1:00 And it saved our bacon in Afghanistan...on one long, bad night in particular
We are looking at it right here right now.
Awesome, thank you!!!
I remember standing at the end of the runway at Al Udeid AB as a B-1 flew over my head at full afterburner. Such an incredible experience!
I had the pleasure to witness a B-1 Lancer at an airshow. You felt its sound more than simply hearing it.
0:18 Nah, the B-1 is more like an upsized F-111, not an F-14.
One correction: The B-1 was not meant to replace the B-58 as a better low-altitude alternative. It was introduced as the B-1A, and was meant to do the same task as the XB-70 (before it was canceled, of course): High-altitude, supersonic bomb runs. The advent of more advanced anti-air weaponry (and the downing of the U-2) convinced them to retrofit the B-1A to be more efficient for low-altitude penetration strikes and created the B-1B. All of the other problems with the B-1A, like costs, of course added to the need for change. But really the main dealbreaker was the change in the battlefield.
The B1 is one of my favorite planes ever. It looks amazing and with 4 afterburners glowing it’s unreal
An outstanding presentation of an outstanding aircraft. Thanks !
Glad you enjoyed it!
The F101 is not only the basis of the F110, but also the F118 used in the B-2A and the U-2S.
Excellent point and thanks for commenting!
This was a fantastic video! You have compiled some great footage, and your attention to detail and storytelling are top notch, as ever! I think I want to look into the B1 not being able to carry nuclear weapons. I basically just realized that I don't really understand what makes an aerial platform nuclear capable or not. I guess I figured that if it can carry a gravity bomb or a cruise missile, then it should 'technically' be able to carry a nuke, with little to no modifications. We know that nuclear weapons have been miniaturized long ago. Thus, I would think that despite the measures taken to 'denuclearize' a bomber, today it should be relatively 'easy' to build a nuclear device that mimics the size, shape, and delivery method of the conventional ordnance that the bomber *can* carry.
Thank you, and I am actually working on a video right now about the incident involving a B-1 yesterday. Regarding nuclear capable: I imagine it has to do with the launch authorization systems that would need to be installed.
Since only the president can authorize nuclear weapons release, there is coding equipment installed in the aircraft that requires the Acft Commander to validate the order. Removal of the wiring and support equipment for these systems would disable it's ability to carry nukes. It can still carry the physical bombs/missiles, but has no way to arm them without reinstalling the equipment. I was a B-1B Crew Chief(mechanic, basically) in the early '90s, we had to install the equipment every couple of years for Nuclear Surety inspections.
@@scurra1163 thank you for sharing and thank you for your service!
I can't thank you enough for your insight and reply! That makes a whole lot of sense to me now. I didn't even consider some sort of hardware and/or software combinations that rely on a centralized authorization procedure for the devices to even function properly. We have those safeguards with the rest of the nuclear deterrence system, so it makes sense. I wonder how long our strategic bombers have utilized these fail safes. I think back to the stories I heard about SAC basically constantly keeping nuclear armed bombers flying 24/7 back in the crazy old days, long before I was born. It makes me wonder how hard it would have been for a rogue flight crew to suddenly give the entire world a really bad day. In any case, when you were working on the Bone, I was a little girl dreaming of how cool you guys all were. Some of my earliest memories are of watching Desert Storm play out on TV, and of watching the few programs that featured military tech with my dad, specifically aviation programs, back then. I thank you for your service, and I am envious that you did such a cool job! One of the few regrets I hold is not joining the service after college, I still plan to learn to fly at the very least, for sure not too old for that! Anyway sorry for the tangent, this community is awesome!
@@PilotPhotog According to @scurra1163 you are entirely correct! Thanks for the reply, and sorry for the paragraphs! I look forward to your coverage of the sad incident that happened yesterday.
Great timing.
Love it! I live in Louisville KY. The bone is attending our Derby airshow. Downtown Louisville and 4 afterburners down the river! Good times.
Also, a Louisville native. Used to attend the airshow every year. I've seen a lot of our countries military aircraft. My mom knew someone in the air national guard, and I got to go in the hanger and see the F-117 Nighthawk. But the Bone doing an afterburner pass down the river was the most glorious thing I've ever heard!
Did u guys hear of the one that crashed just earlier today!? I heard the crew was okay in this instance!
Bad timing lol
Just found out about the crash, glad the crew are ok
Great video brother
Amazing piece of engineering Would be a dream to see one of these up close
10:58 "Cleared for takeoff, Moscow's on the menu, boys" ✈️💪🇺🇸
My favorite bomber. We used to watch these do touch-and-goes at Ellsworth when I lived in SD. Nowadays, it is my understanding that the AF no longer permits the BONE to fly certain profiles in order to reduce stress on aging airframes. Don't think they high-speed fly terrain-following profiles anymore.
As a Navy guy, I'm telling you that the Bone is WAY more deadly than any other bomber, including the Stealth bombers in our inventory. You won't hear it coming and as a former Radar operator, you won't see it coming. It is that Scary. The Fear Factor is on par with an A10 Hawg in the area if you're in an enemy tank. Nasty, nasty plane.
Thanks for sharing and thank you for your service!
I'll say it again for all the Russian bots in the comment section. Only one b1b lancer has been lost since 2002 and only one B-52 has been lost since 1995. Russia has lost hundreds of thousands of men and tens of thousands of vehicles in Ukraine since it's unjustified invasion.
Yep the Botts are trying hard to get an argument!
My god, the lines and proportions of that thing are perfect.
Jimmy Carter was a cup of fruit
And macnamara was a dumbass.
Great video!
My dorm was near the flightline seeing it take off at night amazing I love it
Love how you shown the sponsor. Media outlets here in the Philippines have different renditions of the news.
A very good history!! Great visuals, editing and narration. 😎🌈☮️🦄
Saw it once at an airshow on display, amazing, huge aircraft.
Saw one of these at CFB Cold Lake ... Not the quietest bird but sooooo cool.
I’ll always remember one occasion at Mildenhall Air Fete back in the 90s - you don’t realise just how damn big these things are until you see them parked with the ground crew milling around them. That fact made what happened later even more amazing - the B1 took off and at one point in its display, the pilot did a high-speed pass, wings back, burners lit, just under supersonic if the commentary was correct. Seeing such a huge machine move so fast and the wall of noise that hit split-seconds after it passed us remains one of the most jaw-dropping things I’ve ever seen and heard in all my years attending airshows. Beautiful, deadly and fast - what’s not to like?
Superb historical documentary and highly relevant to today's developments. I now understand why 'the Bone" was used to hit the Houthis. Bravo!
feeling the ground shack when 1 of these take off is so impressive. it feels like an earthquake.
Worked on the F101 engines on these at Dyess Air Force Base from 2002-2006 and at Tinker from 2017-2020. Bringing back some memories…
I had to protect two of these as a private military contractor, and it amazed me how much they leaked at ground level. When I asked the airmen about it they said at altitude all of the gaps closed, and the B1 became fully effective. Amazing aircraft.
I was at the Airshow at Nellis AFB and got to walk around and underneath a BONE. The Bombay’s are huge. It’s really an amazing work of engineering 😊