[News Terms] The 'Death Swan' B-1B Bomber Missing from the ROK-US Air Exercise

Top Priority US Strategic Asset for Korean Peninsula Deployment in Emergencies, B-1B
Developed to Replace B-52... Sleek Design, Formidable Power
One of US's Three Major Strategic Bombers... Does Not Participate in Vigilant Storm Exercises

US Air Force Strategic Bomber B-1B

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hee-jun] Attention is focused on the background as the B-1B Lancer strategic bomber, which was expected to participate in the South Korea-U.S. joint air exercise 'Vigilant Storm,' has decided not to participate. The B-1B is the U.S.'s strategic asset most likely to be deployed on the Korean Peninsula in an emergency and is also nicknamed the 'Death Swan'.

Kelly Jeter, spokesperson for the U.S. 7th Air Force, stated on the 2nd that the first day of the five-day Vigilant Storm exercise, which began on the 31st of last month, "was very successful," adding, "Dozens of almost all types of South Korean and U.S. military aircraft participating in the exercise flew together for an hour." However, he explained that the B-1B recently deployed to Andersen Air Force Base in Guam in the Pacific will not participate in this exercise.

The B-1B is considered one of the U.S.'s 'three major strategic bombers' along with the B-52 and B-2. It can reach North Korean territory within two hours from the Guam base, and its deployment alone is evaluated to significantly enhance deterrence against North Korea. In the same context, if North Korea carries out a major provocation such as a seventh nuclear test, the B-1B is cited as the top priority among U.S. strategic assets to be deployed promptly to the Korean Peninsula.

The B-1B went through numerous twists and turns during its development. It was initially developed as the main bomber of the U.S. Strategic Air Command (SAC) to replace the strategic asset B-52, created during the Cold War in the 1950s as a retaliatory measure against the Soviet nuclear attack threat. After its first flight in 1974, 240 units were planned for production, but the plan was canceled due to the assessment that it would be difficult to penetrate the Soviet air defense and interception systems.

As time passed and military buildup resumed, the Ronald Reagan administration revived the model in 1981, but production was halted after 100 units were produced in 1988. At the time of development, the B-1B was designed to carry nuclear bombs such as the B28, B61, and B83, assuming nuclear war, but now only conventional weapons are loaded in accordance with the second phase Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty signed with Russia.

However, unlike bombers such as the B-52 and B-2, the B-1B is considered a threatening presence even without carrying tactical nuclear weapons.

The B-1B's physical specifications are a length of 44.5 meters, a wingspan of 41.8 meters, and a height of 10.4 meters, with a maximum range of about 11,000 km. It is known to carry 24 MK-84 bombs weighing 2,000 pounds (907.1 kg), 84 MK-82 bombs weighing 500 pounds (226.7 kg), and 24 GBU-31 guided bombs weighing 2,000 pounds. Its maximum weapon load is 56 tons, more than twice that of the B-52 (27 tons) and B-2 (22 tons).

Despite its enormous weapon load, its maximum speed is Mach 1.25 (1,530 km/h), significantly faster than the B-52 flying at 957 km/h or the B-2 at Mach 0.9. Recently, it has been upgraded to carry the state-of-the-art stealth long-range anti-ship missile (LRASM), capable of precision strikes on large moving maritime targets such as destroyers and escort ships from 800 km away.

Contrary to its sleek appearance designed for high-speed flight, the overwhelming power to drop a massive amount of bombs in a single sortie is the reason the B-1B earned the nickname 'Death Swan.'

The U.S. Air Force currently deploys 62 Death Swans dispersed at bases such as Dyess Air Force Base in Texas. Earlier, the B-1B moved to Guam in June and conducted exercises with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Royal Australian Air Force. Additionally, the U.S. Pacific Air Forces redeployed two B-1Bs to the Guam base on the 20th of last month, stating they will conduct more exercises with multiple allies in the Indo-Pacific region.

At that time, there was speculation that the B-1B would participate in Vigilant Storm to send a strong warning message to North Korea, but ultimately the U.S. decided to refrain from moving it. This is interpreted as a choice to avoid giving North Korea a pretext for provocation. Some view that if North Korea provokes even with the B-1B deployed on the Korean Peninsula, there is no suitable alternative other than a 'strong versus strong' confrontation.