U.S. Air Force Begins B-1B External Carriage Weapons Tests | Aviation International News

U.S. Air Force Begins B-1B External Carriage Weapons Tests

Boeing B-1Bs bombers are slated to become carriers for large hypersonic missiles such as the Lockheed Martin AGM-183A ARRW.

A sight not seen for 30 years: a B-1B flies with an externally-carried weapon during a November 20 test flight. (Photo: U.S. Air Force)

By David Donald • Contributor - UK

November 26, 2020

The U.S. Air Force's Global Power Combined Test Force has conducted a test flight with a Boeing B-1B Lancer carrying an inert Lockheed Martin AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) on an external pylon. The flight was performed on November 20 by an aircraft from the 419th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB).

Although this was a captive-carry test of an inert weapon, the test marks the start of flight evaluation of external carriage as part of the effort to expand the B-1B’s capability. It follows a series of ground tests that not only validated the aircraft’s external carriage capability but also the reconfiguration of the internal weapons bay to accept large missiles.

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