Saturday, August 14, 2010

Identify please.

The above photo is from the Air Combat Command and a recent exercise where B-52's and F-15's dropped everything from GBU-28's to Small Diameter Bombs.

Really basic stuff that is done everyday.

What I need help with is the pod hanging between (I believe) the 1st and 2nd engines on the above photo.

What is it?
Posted by at

9 comments :

  1. MarcaseSaturday, August 14, 2010 5:32:00 PM

    It's a LITENING AT - it's the only laser designator pod cleared for the B-52.

    ReplyDelete
  2. SolomonSaturday, August 14, 2010 5:38:00 PM

    thanks Marcase.

    i find it interesting that they would have to devote a whole pylon to the carriage of a lightweight laser designator. i would think that they would add a modification like on the B-1.

    ReplyDelete
  3. MarcaseSaturday, August 14, 2010 6:05:00 PM

    Well, they kind of did. The pylon sitting between the engines is a recent addition/update to the B-52 (the starboard bomb pylon is hidden by the airframe). there's not much ground-clearance under the airframe when the BUFF is parked, so a wing set-up seems the smart way.

    Little B-52 generic vid -
    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Boeing_B-52.ogv

    ReplyDelete
  4. meSaturday, August 14, 2010 6:13:00 PM

    I think the B-1's pod is fixed to one the external racks they were fitted with but never used. I've head the reason has to do with an arms control treaty.

    ReplyDelete
  5. SolomonSaturday, August 14, 2010 7:37:00 PM

    Marcase, that can't be entirely true. the old B-52's during Vietnam carried alot of bombs externally in the same position occupied by that pod. additionally they're carrying many weapons even today externally...for me at least the mystery continues.

    me.
    are you sure about the external rack feature for the B-1? i've seen photos of it and again it appear forward on the airframe and almost custom made for the pod. again the mystery continues and another set of google searches begins.

    ReplyDelete
  6. MarcaseSunday, August 15, 2010 3:04:00 AM

    Hi Sol,
    The B-52 has two large MERs between the fuselage and inner engines. The pod-pylon is situated between number 3 and 4 engine(s). There was never a bomb rack/MER there because of wing stress (and truth be told, two MERs plus the main bay was more than enough).

    They couldn't attach the Litening pod on the B-52s main fuselage as it could disrupt airflow for the main bomb-bay.

    Also, wiring the pod was an issue, and was simpler via the wing.

    http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/systems/b-52-pics.htm

    About the B-1; the SNIPER pod was attached to the left hand chin of the aircraft using existing mounting points. As ME said, the external attach points were initially designed to allow the B-1B to carry cruise missiles externally. These hard points were modified to attach the targeting pod through a pylon assembly.

    To communicate with the Sniper pod, power and control connections must be supplied from the aircraft to the pod. The current design uses the conduit from the hard points to route the required wiring to the pod from the B-1.

    ReplyDelete
  7. meSunday, August 15, 2010 8:41:00 AM

    The START 1 treaty forbids the B-1 fleet from being nuclear capable and from using the external racks. They had to get special permission to attach the pod to one. http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123110313

    That's why the B-1's never carried cruise missiles. To do so you have to remove a bulkhead between the #1 & 2 bomb bays and the treaty says you can't.

    ReplyDelete
  8. SolomonSunday, August 15, 2010 10:45:00 AM

    start 1 is dead.

    ReplyDelete
  9. SolomonSunday, August 15, 2010 11:32:00 PM

    OKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    now i get it Marcase.

    a check of the history books showed that you are beyond right. that's a new pylon and not the one used during the B-52 missions in Vietnam.


    MUCHO APOLOGIZO!

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )