Documents
United States Boeing
B-1B Lancer
Supersonic variable-sweep-wing strategic bomber originally developed by Rockwell (now part of Boeing's legacy) that carries the largest conventional payload in the U.S. Air Force bomber fleet. Converted from nuclear to conventional-only role in 2011.
In service since 1986 · 1 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
1,448
km/h
11,998
km range
18,000
m ceiling
34,019
kg payload
💲 ≈ $317,000,000, Historical program unit cost
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Limited · 1 operator
In service since 1986. Status: active · ~100 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$793M – $1.1B
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~35 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the B-1B Lancer can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance. | 1,448 km/h |
|---|---|
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 1.2 Mach |
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 11,998 km |
| Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon. | 18,000 m |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Hardpoints External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts. | 6 |
|---|---|
| Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie. | 34,019 kg |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 44.5 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span. | 41.8 m |
| Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles. | 10.4 m |
| Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew. | 87,090 kg |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 216,365 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 4 |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | General Electric F101-GE-102 afterburning turbofan |
|---|---|
| Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost. | 4 |
| Thrust Total engine thrust (with afterburner where applicable). | 136 kN |
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Turbofan |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art. | AN/APQ-164 |
|---|
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $317,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 100 |
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 1 |
Specifications compiled from public Boeing and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Tupolev Tu-160 
Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) H-6K Head-to-head comparisons
B-1B Lancer vs
Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Boeing B-1B Lancer? +
The Boeing B-1B Lancer has a maximum speed of 1,448 km/h.
What is the range of the Boeing B-1B Lancer? +
The Boeing B-1B Lancer has a maximum range of 11,998 km.
What is the weapons payload of the Boeing B-1B Lancer? +
The Boeing B-1B Lancer can carry up to 34,019 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the Boeing B-1B Lancer weigh? +
The Boeing B-1B Lancer has a combat weight of 216,365 kg.
How many crew does the Boeing B-1B Lancer require? +
The Boeing B-1B Lancer requires a crew of 4.
What engine does the Boeing B-1B Lancer use? +
The Boeing B-1B Lancer is powered by the General Electric F101-GE-102 afterburning turbofan.
What is the Boeing B-1B Lancer used for? +
The Boeing B-1B Lancer is a bomber typically used for deep strike.
How many countries operate the Boeing B-1B Lancer? +
The Boeing B-1B Lancer is operated by 1 countries.
How much does the Boeing B-1B Lancer cost? +
The Boeing B-1B Lancer has an approximate unit cost of 317,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
Similar systems
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Tupolev
Tu-160
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