Air Force Tries Out New Pylon on B-1, Transforming Bomber into ‘Hypersonic Testbed’

[rangerrebew]

Air Force Tries Out New Pylon on B-1, Transforming Bomber into ‘Hypersonic Testbed’
Aug. 6, 2024 | By John A. Tirpak
The Air Force has begun using a new Boeing pylon to test a variety of weapons on the B-1 Lancer, the 412th Test Wing announced this week, and now has a second way—besides the B-52—to test large weapons like hypersonic missiles.

The Load Adaptable Modular (LAM) pylon streamlines weapons tests because its modular attach points can be repositioned, reducing the need for unique pylons and making it possible to test weapons for which an appropriate pylon may not exist. Designers and testers liken it to a “Lego” pylon.


“We met the intent of Congress … and we now have a B-1 hypersonic testbed,” Joseph Stupic, senior materiel leader for the B-1 bomber division, told reporters at the Life Cycle Industry Days conference in Dayton, Ohio, last week. Congress provided additional hypersonic testbed funds last year.

Boeing, which developed the LAM, envisioned the pylon as relieving the B-52 of hypersonic weapon assessments, as test B-52s are fully engaged with evaluating new engines, radars, communications systems, and navigation gear for its B-52J upgrade, as well as the AGM-181 Long-Range Stand-Off nuclear weapon.

https://www.airandspaceforces.com/air-force-new-pylon-b-1-hypersonic-testbed/

[rangerrebew]

First the B-1 is retired to the desert.  Then it's brought back for a couple missions.  Now it may become a hypersonic bomber.  I'm confused!

[PeteS in CA]

What's confusing?

The USAF has active B-52 squadrons.

The USAF has active B-1 squadrons.

The USAF has active B-2 squadrons.

The USAF has deactivated B-52s and B-1s at Davis-Monthan AFB, some of which are used for spare parts, and some of which are in good enough condition that they can be - and occasionally are - restored and upgraded to current configuration.

WRT the article topic, the B-1 can fly supersonic. If the hypersonic missile can be launched from a B-1 that is flying supersonic that may extend the missile's range (i.e. less fuel expended to reach hypersonic speed).

[MeganC]

First the B-1 is retired to the desert. 

A number of folks are confused about this.

The B-1 as a platform has never left active service. But some of them were placed in storage due to budget cuts especially after the end of operations in Afghanistan.

But then in 2022 a B-1 suffered a fire and is now out of service:

https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2023/02/03/cracked-engine-part-sparked-giant-b-1-bomber-fire-investigation-finds/

Which required pulling one of the mothballed B-1 bombers from storage and putting it back into service to cover for the plane that was lost:

https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2024/04/26/b-1-bomber-rises-from-the-boneyard-to-rejoin-the-air-forces-fleet/

And yet another B-1 will be restored to service to replace the bomber that crashed in January 2024.

The confusion here is people hear "The B-1 bomber is being put back into service" and not understanding that this refers to a particular aircraft and not the entire platform.