Huh, thought I'd snagged a quote about the B-21's bomb load. Looks to be 1/2 that of the B-2 (only one bay using the standard rotary launcher), or about what a B-52 can carry internally. 24-30klbs.
That's called the B-52. Max airframe life of about 40,000 hours, and the current fleet averages something like 27k hours.
Or we Rapid Dragon a flight of C-17s for a massive initial strike.
Range and payload can be somewhat interchangeable, depending on how you design the plane.
But based on descriptions of 1980s Red Flag and AF Bomb Comp mission sets, the typical strike package was set up for roughly 3 targets out of the bomb bay and about that many more on each pylon.
9 total target groups per bomber. Because each target set needed both rockets and bombs. I'm assuming SRAMs were for smashing any SAM sites that the cruise missiles left, and then one or two bombs on target.
In all honesty,
I expect the B-2s to go before the Bones do. Bones have an absolutely ludicrous max payload, and even limited to internal bays carry 50% more than a B-2 (50k external load, 75k internal on 3x rotary launchers). And Bones do not require climate controlled hangars like the Spirits do.
A Bone loaded for a max conventional strike or a "Dale Brown Special" strike should be
terrifying to contemplate.
- Rack up two dozen AMRAAMs externally, 6x HARMs, a Sniper pod, maybe another 3x HARMs for good measure, then 75klbs of party favors internally.
- Anti ship strike of 14 LRASMs externally, plus another 24x internally.
- 14x cruise missiles externally, another 8 internally.
- 44x Mk82s or equivalent externally (rack space for 48), plus 96x GBU-39s internally.
