The B-1B Lancer bomber, more colloquially known as the ‘Bone’ as a play on its B-1 designation, celebrated 25 years in USAF service on April 29.
Originally designed and built by Rockwell (since merged into Boeing) at Palmdale north of Los Angeles, the first supersonic B-1B entered service on April 29 1985. Rockwell built 100 B-1Bs in just three years, with the final aircraft being delivered in May 1988.
The B-1B transitioned from the nuclear to conventional bomber role from 1993, and has seen extensive operational use over Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan.
