The B-1B Lancer, the "backbone" of America's long-range bomber force, stands out for its impressive capability to carry a substantial payload of advanced weaponry.

The Lancer has notable speed and capacity. It has a range of 9,500km, a top speed of Mach 1.25 and the largest payload capacity in the US Air Force inventory.

Also known as the "Bone," the B-1B is designed to penetrate air defenses at very low altitudes at very high speeds and can rapidly deliver massive quantities of precision and non-precision weapons against any adversary, anywhere in the world, according to the Air Force.

The US Air Force maintains 45 B-1B bombers.

The B-1B can carry up to 34,000kg of ordnance in three internal weapon bays that can be loaded with a variety of weapons. It has a maximum takeoff weight of 216,363kg.

Each B-1B bomber can carry 84 227kg Mk82 bombs. So a strike package of four B-1B bombers could deliver 336 Mk82s.

The Mk82 is one of the most commonly used bombs and can be converted into different variants such as the Quickstrike naval mine, the Guided Bomb Unit (GBU)-12 laser-guided bomb and the GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM).

JDAM is a guidance kit that converts unguided, free-fall bombs like the Mark class into "accurate, adverse-weather 'smart' munitions," according to the Air Force.

Each B-1B bomber can carry between 15 and 48 GBU-38s, depending on upgrades to its three rotary launchers.

Extended range

The B-1B bomber has other impressive weapon-carrying capacity.

It can carry a full load of 24 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles-Extended Range (JASSM-ERs), significantly surpassing the B-2 Spirit, which can carry only 16 JASSM-ERs stealthily.

The JASSM-ER, which has a range of 1,000km, is a stealthy, air-launched cruise missile that serves both anti-ship and land attack roles, making it a versatile and formidable weapon in the US arsenal.

Four B-1Bs, each carrying 24 JASSM-ERs, could deliver 96 missiles. This capability allows the B-1B to conduct strikes from distances well beyond the reach of advanced Russian or Chinese air defense systems.

The stealth and range of the JASSM-ER missiles, combined with the B-1B's payload capacity, enable the bombers to effectively engage targets without taking on significant risk.

Strategically positioned, the B-1B's range and payload capacity provide the US military with a significant advantage.

For example, the distance between Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean and Yemen is just over 2,000 nautical miles (3,704km), which is well within the operational range of the B-1B.

This means that four B-1Bs could launch a strike from Diego Garcia without the need for refueling, delivering their payload of 96 JASSM-ERs.