War

Abstract

Outlines the capabilities of the Soviet defenses the B-1B would encounter on a European conventional mission and the characteristics of the B-1B that make it suited for this mission. A description of the conventional limitations of the weapon system follows with discussion of technological fixes. The lack of planning how the B-1B could best be exploited in a conventional role has led to developing an extremely limited conventional capability that is based on two weapons; the Mk 82, 500 pound gravity bomb, and the Mk 36, 500 pound mine. These are the only conventional munitions planned for the B-1B. The author suggests a long range perspective is lacking and for the B-lB to be viable in a conventional role new munitions must be developed.