[MilCom] Re: B-1 bomber crashes at base in Middle East/B-52

[Duane Mantick]

Wish we could pony up the $$$$ for about another 100
B-2's.........for that matter, if we know what's
shortfalls on the B-1B's, restart production for an
updated "B-1C" model.........

It doesn't seem like the UCAV's are quite perfected
YET.  I have no doubt in time they WILL be and while
in many respects it will be sad to see the end of the
big manned bomber, it will also be that many less
crews in danger.........still, ya gotta have a LOT of
UCAV's to equal the bombload that a huge bunch of
B52's can haul........

Is *precision* alone the answer?  Depends on the
target - I suspect that there will ALWAYS be cases
where being able to simply blanket a large area with
destruction will be the most effective means.  Things
like large troop concentrations hidden in a jungle or
the inverse, a small group of high-value targets close
together where the precise location is unknown. How
else you gonna get 'em but to just blanket the whole
area and let (insert your diety here  :-)  ) sort them
out.  :-)

Duane

--- NSAWC1 <nsawc1 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> >From monitoring KBAD I can say that the B-52's
> generally return with a laundry list of code 3's. 
> Safe to say that each year brings us much closer to
> an
> urgency of a new technology and or aircraft to
> replace
> the bomber element
> 
>  
> > The ONE thing that could save the B-1B: even
> though
> > the B-52's are clearly STILL a more capable
> aircraft
> > for the current missions, they're O-L-D....and
> gotta
> > run outta useable airframe hours eventually.  How
> > many
> > "boneyard spares" are useful for life extensions
> > depends on what ages on the airframes. (and, we're
> > only operating "H" models AFAIK so how many of the
> > "boneyard spares" are even *compatible* is another
> > question - "G" models, probably. Before that? Hard
> > to
> > say.)  The B-1B airframes are less numerous and
> thus
> > have fewer spares but probably have nowhere NEAR
> the
> > number of hours on them.
> 
> 
> 
>      
>
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