B-1 Lancers are conducting missions in the skies of the Middle East, demonstrating the ability to rapidly project combat power.

"For the third time in eight days, B-1 Lancers conducted missions in the USCENTCOM area of responsibility demonstrating the ability to rapidly project combat power," the US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) said on X (formerly Twitter) Monday (November 13).

That posting came one day after CENTCOM, again on X, cited "air strikes against facilities near the cities of Abu Kamal and Mayadin" in Syria. The facilities belonged to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups.

The show of power comes from an aircraft often described as the backbone of the United States' long-range bomber force.

Fearsome planes and force

The B-1B Lancer can carry the largest conventional payload of both guided and unguided weapons in the Air Force inventory. Its superior handling and huge payload make it a key element of any joint strike force.

The supersonic, variable sweep wing heavy bomber was designed to fly at extremely low altitudes with reduced radar visibility, per the US Air Force.

The Lancer has a range of 9,500km and a top speed of Mach 1.25.

It features a blended wing/body configuration, variable-geometry wings and turbofan afterburning engines that combine to provide long range maneuverability and high speed while enhancing survivability.

It can carry a ferocious array of armament, including Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSMs), which combine lethality and protection of the aircrew. The JASSMs have 450kg penetrating warheads while coming with stealth features that reduce their radar cross-section and make them difficult to detect and track.

The Lancer holds almost 50 world records for speed, payload, range and time of climb in its class, and can "rapidly deliver massive quantities of precision and non-precision weapons against any adversary, anywhere in the world, at any time."

The planes come under the purview of the Air Force Global Strike Command, which provide long-range precision strike capacity, anytime and anywhere.

'Anywhere in the world, at any time'

Last Thursday, US Air Force B-1Bs deployed to the United Kingdom conducted a cross-combatant command flight over Europe, Africa and the Middle East, the US Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) and Air Forces Africa said in a statement.

The planes, which came from Texas, arrived in the United Kingdom in mid-October.

The long-planned Long-Range Strike Capability (LRSC) mission "demonstrates the Department of Defense's ability to command and control its conventional bomber forces for assigned missions anywhere in the world, at any time," according to the statement.

The arrival of the planes at RAF Fairford in England was not a reaction to the Hamas-Israeli war, Air and Space Forces magazine reported October 13.

But as fears rise that the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza could spread to other groups and countries in the Middle East, it said, "the bombers' arrival and its missions over the next several months will likely be watched closely."

The US Air Force maintains the most capable fleet of strategic bombers in the world, empowering the US military to deliver rapid, lethal force to adverse situations and to help allies in need.

USAFE and Air Forces Africa routinely host and support a variety of US Air Force aircraft and units for training, USAFE said in an October 12 statement announcing the arrival of the B-1B Lancers in the United Kingdom.

Operating a variety of aircraft and units in Europe helps maintain a ready and postured force prepared to support regional and global operations, it said.

'Strong, clear demonstration of power'

"The ability to dynamically employ our conventional bombers is a strong, clear demonstration of the US's ability to rapidly project power," Lt. Gen. Johnny Lamontagne said last Thursday.

It is "a signal of our enduring commitment to our allies and partners," he said.

"[LRSC] operations also provide invaluable training opportunities with our allies and partners, improving interoperability and strengthening integrated deterrence," he added.

Planning for the November 8 mission included coordination with international allies and partners to pre-approve the flight path through their respective airspaces.

Planning and executing globally integrated LRSC missions underscore that the United States and its allies and partners possess credible military capabilities to preserve peace, according to the US Air Force.

These missions also demonstrate the flexibility of combined forces to address today's complex, dynamic, and unpredictable global security environment.