U.S. sends B-1B Lancer strategic bombers to South America to fight poachers
Imagine that you need to make a list of equipment to be used in the fight against poachers. Where would you put the strategic bomber? The U.S. put it at number one.
Here's What We Know
On Sept. 7, the U.S. Air Force sent several B-1B Lancer strategic bombers from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, to the Southern Command area of responsibility (SOUTHCOM). The mission of the planes was to counter illegal fishing off the coast of Ecuador. They were assisted by air tankers from U.S. Naval Air Station MacDill.
You might think that using strategic bombers to fight poachers is overkill. But this is not the first such experience for the B-1B Lancer. In 2019, three planes were already helping to fight drug smuggling.
The B-1 Lancer is a strategic bomber from Boeing and Rockwell International. It was originally designed as a nuclear weapons carrier to replace the B-52 Stratofortress, but was converted to be equipped with conventional missiles in the 1990s.
The B-1B Lancer is the newest version of the aircraft, designed to break through enemy air defenses. It has a weight of 87,457 kg and a maximum takeoff weight of 216,365 kg. The aircraft can reach speeds of over 1,300 km/h. The practical range without refueling is 12,000 km, and the practical ceiling is over 18 km. The bomber can carry up to 24 AGM-158 missiles.
Source: Wikipedia