Watan-The United States carried out airstrikes with “B-1” bombers on locations in Iraq and Syria, as part of what Washington calls retaliatory response to the killing of three American soldiers and the injury of dozens in an attack on a base in Jordan. An Iraqi group affiliated with Iran claimed responsibility for the attack. So, what are these bombers?
The Director of U.S. Joint Military Operations, Douglas Sims, stated that the strikes were conducted with “B-1” bombers, targeting the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and armed factions allied with it.
In an interview on CNN, Sims mentioned that the bomb-carrying aircraft of the B-1 model took off from the United States and reached these locations in a non-stop flight. He spoke about indicators of losses at the targeted sites, with secondary explosions associated with ammunition and logistical sites.
Sims added that the selection of the day for the strikes, Friday, represented the “best opportunity” in terms of weather conditions. Despite the capability of American ammunition to operate in any condition, good weather was chosen to ensure hitting all the right targets.
What are B-1 Bombers?
U.S. defense officials explained that the strikes included heavy B-1 bombers alongside aerial refueling tankers KC-135 from the British Royal Air Force at Lakenheath in the United Kingdom, accompanying the bombers during their transit to the United States.
According to the U.S. Air Force website, these bombers carry the largest conventional weapons load, both guided and unguided, in the Air Force inventory. B-1 bombers are designed for air operations with a massive internal and external weapons payload.
A report on the bomber by “National Interest” states that B-1 bombers can carry anti-ship missiles (JSOW) and bombs. The bombers have a length of 44.5 meters, a height of 10.4 meters, a weight of up to 86,000 kilograms, and a maximum load capacity of 216,000 kilograms.
The bomber’s fuel tank capacity is 120 kilograms, and its speed can reach up to 1,448 kilometers per hour.
The crew of these bombers consists of an aircraft commander, a pilot assistant, and two officers in the weapons systems.
The U.S. military confirmed in a statement that the strikes targeted objectives including command and control centers, missile storage facilities, artillery and drone facilities, as well as logistical facilities and ammunition supply chains.
President Joe Biden stated that the U.S. military carried out strikes on facilities in Iraq and Syria used by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and factions allied with it in targeting U.S. forces.