Military Power

Through out the Cold War, the US always had a medium bomber fleet as a compliment to the heavy bombers like the B-52, and B-2. In fact for many years, our medium bomber was the FB-111 Aardvark that flew for SAC. After the end of the Cold War, for some reason, the USAF suddenly abandoned the medium class of bombers for a fleet of all heavy bombers backed by light tactical strike aircraft like the F-15E and F-117A.

I always though that the smaller medium bomber like the B-47, FB-111, and B-58, had an important role in the bomber fleet. Why did they stop building medium strategic bombers?

Why invest money into a medium bomber when you have aircraft such as the F-18, F-22 and Stealth to deliver effective bombs without escort?

General Forestry wrote:Why invest money into a medium bomber when you have aircraft such as the F-18, F-22 and Stealth to deliver effective bombs without escort?

Using the same logic, why have the B-2, B-1 and B-52?

Maximus the Destroyer wrote:Using the same logic, why have the B-2, B-1 and B-52?

Well, at least for the B-52...its like a heads-up warning for the enemy so they have to time to say "Oh Sh**!", and at least be given the chance to put one foot in front of the other as they try to run away. With the fighters...they never see it coming. Plus, the B-52 can cluster bomb. Don't know what to say about the others...

General Forestry wrote: for the B-52...its like a heads-up warning for the enemy so they have to time to say "Oh Sh**!", and at least be given the chance to put one foot in front of the other as they try to run away.

Only if they have radar (or the B-52s decide to do low level bombing for some reason). An aircraft at 50,000 feet is a little hard to determine type, let alone "Make and Model".