B-1B Air Launched Cruise Missile Pic

[Matt308]

Anybody have any information on this pic? Operation? Load? Armament? Why these were used vs rotary lauchers in bomb bays? They seem to obstruct use of bomb bays unless they were jettisoned.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Looks fake to me...

 

[Matt308]

Thats why I am asking. Here's another. Look under the starboard engine nacelle. They look electronic. Active countermeasures of some sort? If they are fake, someone has spent to serious time getting the little details right.

 

[herman1rg]

Interesting

 

[johnbr]

I think it was just for testing.

 

[Matt308]

Testing what?

 

[Capt. Vick]

IMHO I think they are conformal weapons holders for ordinance that will not fit in the bomb bays. Possible attempt to add a modicum of stealth or drag reduction to something hanging out in the airstream.

Perhaps the "boxes" under the right engines house cameras to record seperation tests.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

From another forum;

"Effectively, the B-1B has no external hardpoints for carrying stores. B-1Bs have the capability of carrying six dual external stores pylons, however only one aircraft ever actually carried them, it was only during testing, and the test load was AGM-129 cruise missile dummies. The external carriage of weapons degraded the Bone's performance and the nuclear mission was removed in 1991, so the external pylons were never fitted or used operationally.

So, in absolute theoretical terms, I think the B-1B has the physical capability of carrying external pylons. However, as a practical matter the do not. Besides the performance degradation, I've read that the aerodynamic forces on stores carried under the belly can damage them."

 

[Matt308]

That's gotta be it! Thanks to the Great Gazoo!

 

[FLYBOYJ]

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

Very interesting guys! Been following this since it started and was curious. I did several searches but never came up with anything. And yes, the GREAT GAZOO is THE MAN!

 

[Capt. Vick]

Found this picture on the internet (proportedly of a B-1 external weapons pylon), looks similar to the ones in the pictures above.

And it looks like they want to install these as a new upgrade...

 

[Matt308]

Now I like your first pic... that is spot on now isn't it!!!???!!!

But the Sniper pod is a single airframe installation for electro/optical designation of smart weapons or for rudimentary reconnaisance. The first one is smack on though. Gotta love that it has some cyrillic? pic caption. And while the original pics look like 6 pylons, FBJ has hit it on the head that they are dual pylons with 12 ALCM positions.

Thanks for the post.

 

[brucejscott]

Just looking at the second picture and the exhaust petals, is that an original B-1A?

 

[mariksio]

This is indeed a external weapon rack. The B-1B is no longer on nuclear alert.