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From: dvlssd@cs.umu.se (Stefan Skoglund)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: B2 vs. F117A
Message-ID: <1991Feb20.051136.27516@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 20 Feb 91 05:11:36 GMT
References: <1991Feb19.031553.16283@cbnews.att.com>
Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker)
Organization: Dep. of Info.Proc, Umea Univ., Sweden
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From: dvlssd@cs.umu.se (Stefan Skoglund)
>Why did we buy so many B-52s when we could have bought F-111s?

Mostly because the B52 was designed around 1948-1952 
( XB-52 made its first flight in December 1952 ).
It was from the beginning a pure heavy bomber
built to drop Atomic bombs of diffrent sizes 10 kton to 200 Mton
and be able to deliver it over long distances.

I don't know exactly when F-111A made its maiden hop but I could
make a good guess. Around 1964.
The F-111A, C, D, E and F was designed as tactical bombers
able to penetrate heavily defended areas and well there deliver some not 
so out-sized loads.
For example 4 Mk84 2000 pounds Iron
            2 W80 Atomic bombs
Not at all in B52-class.

Once upon a time the US had a defence minister named McNamara.
He decided : Scrap B-52A, B and C.
Scrap also B-57 Hustler.
We will replace this with a combined fleet of B-70 and F-111.

Well, the B-70 was scrapped due to costs
and all SAC had left was 200 B-52G and H
and about 80 FB-111.

Then they decided this :
Lets build the B1A.
Carter decided to postpone B1A ( swing-wing faster-than sound heavy bomber )
Reagan decided to build B1B ( B1A but heavier and with more fuel )
He also decided to build B2 for thoose occasion then the B1B wouldn't be 
able to do their job because of a to dense air-defense
or to knock-out SS22, 23 and so on.
B2 is simply expected to do this :
Find railway-based SS23's and drop a SRAM on it. No SS 23.

Then the B1B was trustable the FB-111 would be moved to TAC and
redesignated as the F-111K.

F117 as a succesor to the F-111. ( Is it meant as this :-) ).
F117 has to low combat-radius and pay-load.

No offense.

dvlssd@cs.umu.se
Umea, Sweden