B1 Lancer Bomber Pilot's Flight Operating Instructions

Rockwell's B-1 Lancer serves as the supersonic component of the USAF's bomber fleet. An outgrowth of the requirement for a heavy bomber to replace the B-52, the Lancer was conceived during the Cold War as a high-speed, radar-penetrating platform. Originally intended to achieve speeds above Mach 2, the operational B-1B normally cruises at Mach .92 and dashes at speeds up to Mach 1.25. The design uses variable-sweep wings to provide high lift during takeoff and landing, and low drag in high-speed flight. Known in the Air Force as the "Bone" (for B-One), the Lancer served from 1986-92 in a strategic bombing role. Reconfigured for conventional support, the B-1 was used in Iraq in 1998, and then in Kosovo, Afghanistan and again Iraq in 2003. It continues to fulfill a vital role. This pilot's flight operating handbook was originally printed during the B-1A test program. Recently declassified, it is presented here in book form.