US Prepares B-1B for Hypersonic Missiles

The US Air Force has ordered new external pylons capable of carrying hypersonic missiles on B-1B Lancer bombers.

According to The War Zone, the Air Force has requested over $50 million for the pylon installation program.

These pylons will enhance the B-1B’s already significant ability to carry large and diverse payloads, with a particular focus on future hypersonic weapons.

This is also a precautionary measure in case of potential delays in the delivery of the stealthy B-21 Raider bombers, which are to replace the remaining Lancer aircraft.

According to the latest budget documents, there are currently 42 B-1B bombers in service.

This is partly due to the total loss of one of the aircraft in a crash at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota last year. The Air Force is working to increase the fleet to 44 aircraft in the next fiscal year.

“The hypersonic integration program has successfully demonstrated the B-1B’s ability to carry a 5,000-pound (2,267 kg) payload on an adaptive modular attachment (LAM) pylon,” the budget documents said.

LAM (Load Adaptable Modular) is a design that Boeing has been working on since at least 2023. The company previously stated that the pylon could be configured for payloads of up to 7,500 pounds (3,401 kg), but it is currently unknown what weight limit the Air Force is considering.

In recent years, six existing suspension points on each Lancer have been used in experimental programs. They were originally designed to carry winged missiles with nuclear warheads externally.

Back in 2020, the US conducted tests of the B-1B Lancer bomber with a suspension system for hypersonic missiles. During the tests, an AGM-158 JASSM cruise missile was suspended from the modified right pylon.

The US is developing a hypersonic missile, the AGM-183A ARRW (Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon), for heavy bombers.

The development of the AGM-183A missile is one of the most important defense projects in the United States. The ARRW complex consists of an air-launched solid-fuel missile equipped with a hypersonic unit with a Tactical Boost Glide rocket engine.