A B-1B Lancer with a Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) in flight above Edwards AFB, California. Credit: Air Force photo by Ethan Wagner.

The US Air Force’s (USAF) B-1B Lancer bomber has conducted an external captive carry flight over the Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) in California.

The demonstration saw the bomber equipped with an inert joint air-to-surface standoff missile (JASSM) under an external pylon for the first time.

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The aircraft belonged to the 412th Test Wing’s 419th Flight Test Squadron, Global Power Combined Test Force.

Air Force Global Strike Command commander-general Tim Ray said: “Adapting a small number of our healthiest B-1s to carry hypersonic weapons is vital to bridge between the bomber force we have today, to the force of tomorrow.

“This is a major step forward in our global precision fires capability and it is important we pursue these technologies to remain ahead of our competitors.

“My goal is to have a limited number of B-1s modified to become the roving linebacker of the western Pacific and the North Atlantic.”

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This flight was conducted after many ground tests that commenced last year with the expanded carriage demonstration.

It included a modified internal bomb bay equipped with a moveable bulkhead.

With this, B-1 has shown its capability to carry larger weapons internally and externally.

The integration of both the weapon and pylon with the B-1B will be evaluated by engineers within the Air Force Test Center (AFTC) enterprise, B-1 system program office and Boeing.

AFTC commander major general Christopher Azzano said: “The Air Force Test Center is enthusiastically teaming with Global Strike to enable greater flexibility in B-1B operational payloads.

“The external carriage and long-bay mods reflect our ability to keep weapon systems relevant with mid-life upgrades.”

The USAF noted that the service’s request to retire 17 B-1B bombers in 2021 remains unchanged.