The US Air Force (USAF) has recently conducted a test on a new weapons pylon that can eliminate traditional weapon constraints.
Known as the Load Adaptable Modular Pylon, it was flown attached to a B-1B Lancer test aircraft with the USAF 419th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards Air Force Base, California.
Designed by Boeing and referred to as the LAM, the unique pylon is designed to carry a variety of standard and emerging weapons with seamless transition, allowing for maximum agility while also strengthening weapon test infrastructure.
While the B-1B was chosen due to aircraft availability at Edwards, the LAM can be modified for attachment to a variety of other aircraft if the need were to arise.
The LAM testing is one of several ways teams at Edwards are working with private industry to provide an innovative increase in test infrastructure. The overall test portfolio continues to rapidly increase during an era of Global Power Competition.
The project also gives test professionals valuable experience in applying engineering and analysis objectives that could be applied to future programs.
