U.S. Central Command has said that American B-1 bombers carried out strikes deep inside Iran aimed at degrading the country’s ballistic missile capabilities.
In a post published on 2 March, CENTCOM stated that U.S. B-1 aircraft had struck targets linked to Iran’s missile programme during the previous night. The command said the objective of the operation was to reduce Iran’s ability to launch ballistic missile attacks.
CENTCOM’s statement quoted the U.S. President as saying, “we’re going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground.” The post did not specify the precise locations targeted, the number of aircraft involved or the scale of damage inflicted.
The B-1 Bomber
The Rockwell B-1 Lancer is a supersonic, variable-sweep wing heavy bomber operated by the United States Air Force. Nicknamed the “Bone,” it is one of three strategic bombers in U.S. service, alongside the B-2 Spirit and B-52 Stratofortress. Designed for long-range missions, it can carry a maximum payload of 75,000 pounds of ordnance. A total of 104 aircraft were built, and it entered service in October 1986.
The aircraft was conceived in the 1960s to combine the high speed of the B-58 Hustler with the range and payload of the B-52. North American Rockwell won the design competition, producing the B-1A prototype, which demonstrated high-altitude speeds above Mach 2. The programme was cancelled in 1977 due to cost concerns, the introduction of long-range cruise missiles, and early work on the B-2 stealth bomber. It was later revived in modified form as the B-1B, with production taking place between 1983 and 1988.
The B-1B has a crew of four and is powered by four General Electric F101 afterburning turbofan engines. It has a maximum take-off weight of 477,000 pounds and can reach speeds of up to Mach 1.25. Its range is approximately 5,100 nautical miles, with a service ceiling of 60,000 feet. The aircraft’s variable-geometry wings allow it to optimise performance for take-off, cruise, and high-speed penetration at both low and high altitudes.
Armament is carried across three internal bomb bays and six external hardpoints, enabling a wide range of conventional munitions. These include general-purpose bombs, precision-guided munitions such as JDAM and JASSM, naval mines, and stand-off weapons including the LRASM. While originally capable of carrying nuclear weapons, the B-1B is currently configured for conventional missions.
The B-1B’s blended wing-body design, terrain-following radar, synthetic aperture radar, and GPS-aided inertial navigation system support precision strike operations. It is equipped with defensive systems including electronic countermeasures, radar warning receivers, expendable countermeasures, and a towed decoy system. Data link capabilities, including Link 16, allow integration into joint force operations and enable rapid engagement of time-sensitive targets.
Do the Americans realise this bombing task is Vietnam X2, and look how long that took! Apparently, Iran, like Afganistan has many caves, some natural, others man-made and these can be very risky to neutralise. The US air power is impressive and it will certainly damage the defence network but it won’t stop determined people; look at the Ukrainians. Admittedly, China could help, but it’s concerned about oil supply, so it will play a careful game. Russia would love to step in but it chose Ukraine. North Korea is a free agent to a point, but its contribution could be more token than meaningful assistance. Though we all know it, only troops on the ground probably remove the current government, and you won’t see Trump for dust if that request lands on his desk!
I was shocked this morning when the Republicans abroad representative usually as MAGA centric as you can get, stated she has no comprehension of the logic for this war (though Republicans at home after calling it a war are now doing their best ‘Special Military Operation’ meme). Mind you she still said she would vote for Trump. Geez even the most MAGA of MAGA acolytes are condemning him now, his circle of wagons is shrinking all the time but sadly scared Congress Republican inner circle still bring theirselves to defy their increasingly demented supreme leader.
Sorry ‘…can’t bring themselves to defy him…’
I do that all the time SY. This conflict will split US public opinion, and if, for some reason, the US suffers a similar fate to Sir Galahad, then the gold will begin to quickly fade. Did you see his address yesterday, where he had the solemn job of updating on the war and handing out medals to war heroes? Sadly, he soon lost concentration and wandered off on the subject of the new build at the White House and the beautiful gold curtains!!
He spent more time talking about the curtains in his ridiculous ballroom than about the American servicemen whose deaths he’s caused…
Dementia.
The real dementia is displayed above by mentally deranged Trump haters spewing their venom through incoherent sputterings totally divorced from reality. Throw all the temper tantrums you wish, it won’t change anything. You’re still irrelevant.
Amongst a certain segment of the American population, there is a quietly voiced opinion that payback is a royal bitch. From the hostage taking of Americans at the embassy in ’79, through the bombing of the Marine barracks in Lebanon in ’83, to the almost uncountable IEDs during Iraq ops, the Iranians have promoted chaos and death. A good friend once advised that one should not become angry, just even. The Mullahs and their minions owe a debt, and it is time to cash in, w/ compound interest.
The reason for war is clear, but I do hope it has been thought through because the press is starting to see cracks in the decisions taken prior to conflict. As for weapons today and those used in Vietnam, of course there is a huge difference, but heavy bombs from B-52s will be the weapon of choice once air supremacy is established.
JDAMs and LJDAMs have significantly changed strategic bombing campaigns from the prehistoric ‘Nam era. Cheap as chips “Wrath of God” from above. A totally separate beast from the more exotic munitions.
I stand by to be educated, but I thought the lesson from Vietnam is that you can bomb someone back into the Stone Age as long as you have the political will to do so.
Arclight raids brought the North to their knees but were restricted in scope when in fact they should have been unleashed and allowed to bomb the foxtrot out of the North until anything with military potential had been destroyed; the US would have won the war but had far earlier lost the Vietnamese politics because of the leaders they had backed, due to US views on combatting Communism.
With Trump and his deafness for public opinion, should the Muricans be able to keep on target (no PR losses like taking out a school) then they now have the ability for unrestricted, targetted, bombing and that does have the potential to enable the local populace to have a carpe diem moment.
We shall see.
Essentially agree w/ your thesis. Israel and US have established not air superiority, but rather air supremacy over Iran w/in 72 elapsed hours from operation initiation. The Iranians probably do not realize the full extent of their situation at this point. Some critique the professionalism of Trump administration, yet fail to realize Pres. Lyndon Johnson was personally selecting targets during Op. Rolling Thunder (1965-68) during Tuesday luncheon meetings. 🙄
Unfortunately, collateral damage, random and unpredictable, remains an enduring aspect/consequence of significant warfare. Given increasingly sophisticated sensors and AI, incidents may eventually be minimized.
Thank you USAF.
Off topic, I see that, four days into the war, the MOD are ‘considering’ sending a gunboat.
Whatever you think about the timing, planning or legality one thing this war shows is the power of the strategic weapon system.. if you can smash your enemies infrastructure and he cannot smash yours then their is sod all you can really do to deter or defend.. a lesson we need to learn still.. strategic capability is massive.
It is certainly possible that GCAP/Tempest may provide a strategic (light) capability for the RAF. If not, B-21 presumably will eventually become available for FMS. HMG Treasury may suffer a collective MI. 🤔🤕😉
Yep they are talking about combat radius of 2000km add in a 600km range kinetic effector and the fact the UK has airbases everywhere.. then that will be very very effective.. but it’s a good decade away..
I’d also like to see a South Korean style strategic artillery programme, Tempest will be nice if we want to hit evolving targets but for just lobbing stuff over the fence ballistic missiles are cheaper and less risky for the pilots.
The Hyunmoo-5 has a range of 3000km with an 8000kg payload, that would be a great way of waking Mr Putin up day 1. A British flavour would be an HGV payload for hitting ships, perhaps?
PS I’ve also seen rumours that Japan wants 3000km mission radius for an out and back strike, 2000km is conservative. And STRATUS LO is likely to have a bit more than 600km range.
TJ,
Perhaps the design team is already considering optional conformal wing tanks? Sixth gen a/c will probably be so expensive that no AF will permit more than local pattern flights. 🤔😂😁
From my understanding GCAP, will be very much in the same guise as the F35 (only a lot bigger), where it predominantly operates beyond visual range. Anything close it will turn tail and run. In some respects similar to the Tornado F3. Range and stealth are the two key requirements. So don’t expect to see something that could knife fight with a Su57. The aim is to minimize the amount of aerial refuelling needed to reach a patrol area or a launch point. I have a feeling it will be used a lot in a sub-strategic role as an air to surface missile truck, carrying Stratus LO/RS.