B-1 Lancer possibly up for the chopping block

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

(link - Time)

The Air Force is floating the idea that if it's budget is cut, the B-1 should be one of the first to be thrown overboard.  Now, building the B-1B was a mistake, but since the B-2 under development was still secret, Carter got pilloried for it.  However, that was then, this is now.  We've already got the damned-fool things and while its performance is comparable to the B-52 (somewhat superior in most aspects, inferior in others such as range) the airframes are a little over 20 years younger than the B-52H's in the inventory.  If a bomber is to be retired, to my amateur eye it would seem that it is the B-52 that should go bye-bye. Of course, the Air Force is likely hoping to get Congress to say no to shutting down any bombers, and the B-1 seems to better situated in getting Congress to do that than the B-52 is.

[dead0man]

The B52 is cheap (in comparison), very proven,  very dependable and we already have plenty of them to do any job that could reasonably come up in the near future.  The B1 is a great plane, but mostly redundant when we already have plenty of other stealth aircraft (not to mention cruise missiles) to do the anti SAM/RADAR missions.

There is no way the B52 is going anywhere anytime soon.

[Sbane]

The B52 is cheap (in comparison), very proven,  very dependable and we already have plenty of them to do any job that could reasonably come up in the near future.  The B1 is a great plane, but mostly redundant when we already have plenty of other stealth aircraft (not to mention cruise missiles) to do the anti SAM/RADAR missions.

There is no way the B52 is going anywhere anytime soon.

Are B-52's still being made? If not, the fleet is getting awfully old, isn't it?

[dead0man]

I don't think so, but military aircraft are maticulusly maintained and updated/upgraded.  From wiki:

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[opebo]

Isn't it the neo-liberal ethos that we should be subcontracting all government services out to 'private' business?  They could have the bankrupted airlines carry the bombs over to the victims in beat-up 747s with the seats ripped out.

[Ban my account ffs!]

Isn't it the neo-liberal ethos that we should be subcontracting all government services out to 'private' business?  They could have the bankrupted airlines carry the bombs over to the victims in beat-up 747s with the seats ripped out.

For twice the price and half the effectiveness.. but the REpublicans would be clapping eachother on the back for a job well done!

[opebo]

Isn't it the neo-liberal ethos that we should be subcontracting all government services out to 'private' business?  They could have the bankrupted airlines carry the bombs over to the victims in beat-up 747s with the seats ripped out.

For twice the price and half the effectiveness.. but the REpublicans would be clapping eachother on the back for a job well done!

HOOO-AH!  (I think that's the sound they make when getting ****-****** by Bechtel and Boeing.