USAF Global Strike Command chief Gen. Timothy Ray told Air Force Magazine that he wants to have a squadron of modified B-1B bombers that can carry the AGM-183 hypersonic missile on external hardpoints.
Video by Harley Huntington
The B-1B has eight external hardpoints that were designed to carry the AGM-86B Air-Launched Cruise Missile. These hardpoints were covered up except for one on the port side for the Sniper pod.
“My goal would be to bring on at least a squadron’s worth of airplanes modified with external pylons on the B-1, to carry the ARRW hypersonic cruise missile,” Ray was quoted as saying.
He added that the B-1B test fleet at Edwards Air Force Base will be incresed from two to eight aircraft to take some of the “load off the B-52” in hypersonic missile testing.
An expanded carriage demonstration on the B-1B was carried out by the 412th Test Wing last year. Maintainers were able to separate the bulkhead of the front and intermediate weapons bay to create one bay long enough to carry hypersonic weapons.
The same external hardpoint for mounting the Sniper pod was replaced with a JASSM missile as well.
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Expanded carriage demonstration showcases possible B-1B capability