
Higher payloads and specialty munitions may have been behind the request by U.S. Central Command for U.S.-based B-1B bombers for the Feb. 2 air strikes on more than 85 Iranian-linked targets at seven sites in Iraq and Syria. The B-1B has a payload of 75,000 pounds, which may include Boeing [BA] baseline and laser-guided Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) and Lockheed Martin [LMT] Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles. For the Feb. 2 strike, B-1Bs took off early on Feb. 1 from…