- Joined
- 2 August 2006
- Messages
- 3,182
- Reaction score
- 1,184
So what they're saying is, they expect to use expensive overly designed bombers to bomb terrorists who can't threaten such aircraft? The USAF talks about using B-1B's, F-15s and F-16s for CAS, we know they don't want the A-10, but the only aircraft it want's in it's inventory, eventually, are just F-22s, F-35s, and LRSBs? Those are going to provide CAS and medium bombing at affordable costs? This is so short sighted it's laughable. I'm not saying we don't need those types of assets for the greatest threats, but for most of the fighting we're doing this is massive overkill and a waste of money with regard to operational costs.
If I were them, I would also be looking at a medium bomber made from a converted airliner; A new bomb toting fuselage, lower to the ground for easy arming and turn around, but using the wings and empennage from something like a 767. That would be the bomber we would use when there aren't any front doors to kick down and there is little, if any, aerial threats.
Either that, or it's time to give CAS and "medium" bombing back to the Army and cut some of the USAF budget to pay for it. Somebody at the Pentagon has lost track of the middle ground, between all out maximum capability war and special forces. It's as though they're pretending that middle ground doesn't exist and drones sure as hell aren't going to fill that gap. Even though it's the type of war they've been fighting for most of the last two decades and the foreseeable future. This isn't a rant against the LRSB it's a rant against the short sighted idea of the LRSB being the only bomber in the fleet.
If I were them, I would also be looking at a medium bomber made from a converted airliner; A new bomb toting fuselage, lower to the ground for easy arming and turn around, but using the wings and empennage from something like a 767. That would be the bomber we would use when there aren't any front doors to kick down and there is little, if any, aerial threats.
Either that, or it's time to give CAS and "medium" bombing back to the Army and cut some of the USAF budget to pay for it. Somebody at the Pentagon has lost track of the middle ground, between all out maximum capability war and special forces. It's as though they're pretending that middle ground doesn't exist and drones sure as hell aren't going to fill that gap. Even though it's the type of war they've been fighting for most of the last two decades and the foreseeable future. This isn't a rant against the LRSB it's a rant against the short sighted idea of the LRSB being the only bomber in the fleet.