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Under current plans, the B-52, along with the younger B-1B Lancer and the new stealthy B-2 Spirit, will be kept around until approximately 2037, by which time the Air Force calculates that attrition will have reduced the fleet below the minimum 170 aircraft. The B-52s may fly to 2045.
Originally posted by Gazrok
Very good points...
Stealths have other things going for them as well though....including advanced avionics and electronics, weapons systems, etc.
Also, both the B1 and B2 bays can be adapted for THEL use.....
Originally posted by darklanser
[Edited on 11-10-2003 by darklanser]
Originally posted by KrazyIvan
there wont be a nuclear reactor on a plane yet. there are still too heavy
Originally posted by heelstone
I remember back in 1989 when the B-2 was first made public (I think that was the year), there was certainly an uproar over the cost, which later increased. There was also the discussion as to why build super-expensive B-2 bombers when more inexpensive cruise missiles could be used in its place. I'm not sure there was ever a good explanation given. Shortly afterwards, once the USSR fell, the B-2's existence really came into question.
I really don't think that we are going to be getting a B-3 bomber. Other technologies will certainly take its place, as it likely should have back when the B-2 came out.
Originally posted by ghost
I have to disagree with the assumption that cruse missiles could replace the B-2 or ANY bomber for that matter. Bombers provide the military with the ability to hunt for moble targets. An example is the SCUDS of the first Gulf War. If you remember there were moble missile launchers that were used to attack Israel. the only way to find any of them was to chase them down with manned aircraft.
Lets's look at a hypothetical Situations where bombers would be better then Missiles (this is a VERY possibal in the real world):
Situation 1: What if intelligence makes a mistake and issues the wrong set of coordinates for a target:
The intended target is a military command center in the capital city (you can pick the country). Intel accidently issues the wrong coordinates and the building at that spot is a hospital instead of a command center.
If we use a Crues Missile you have just Killed several Hundred innocent civilans!
If we use a manned bomber the pilot would probably be carring target photos And all medical facility are suppose to have a Red Cross on the roof during war times. The pilot look through his Infered targeting scope and realizes that he is looking at a hospital and not a command center. Sticking to the Rules of Engadgment, he abourts his bombing run saving countless lives.
Tim