Interesting pice on the BUFF

[togor]

https://www.politico.com/magazine/st...h-korea-216486

One does wonder about the inability to field a replacement, and what that says about the people whose job it is to think up the next gen of weapons. Still, a nice breezy summary, though no doubt familiar reading to this audience.

[leftyo]

its quite the airplane, and if they want to use a large bomber in the future the powers that be best get busy. sadly, just about anything , planes, ships, cars, etc have a finite life due to fatigue.

[S.A. Boggs]

Same thing was said for the 1911's, if a plane can come in under radar what good is stealth? As the guy said, if I can physically see it I can shoot it. Wonder what new 52's would cost?
Sam

[Vern Humphrey]

Well, that's the point. Why rely on a perfectly good older aircraft when you can spend a trillion dollars to develop a new aircraft to perform exactly the same mission?

I mean if you're not wasting the taxpayer's money, you're not doing your job -- right?

[leftyo]

difference is, 1911's dont fall from the sky due to metal fatigue.

[m1ashooter]

Having spent my youth in SAC aircraft and missile operations I can say that as long as the BUFF is airworthy she will continue a needed job.

The facts are we really don't have enough manned bombers that can survive deep strikes into Russia or China. In the late 80's the mission of many of the Minuteman II ICBMs was to hit SAM targets in the Soviet Union so the BUFFS could get in and use ALCMS or gravity bombs. Today the MMII is retired. The BUFF will be used if needed as a standoff platform to to launch ALCMS in a non conventional war.