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From: ken@argus.UUCP (Kenneth Ng)
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: Re: B-52s use force.
Message-ID: <456@argus.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 21-Aug-86 08:58:35 EDT
Article-I.D.: argus.456
Posted: Thu Aug 21 08:58:35 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 28-Aug-86 02:31:26 EDT
References: <1212@loral.UUCP> <257@killer.UUCP> <1448@oddjob.UUCP>
Distribution: na
Organization: NJ Inst of Tech., Newark NJ
Lines: 40

In article <1448@oddjob.UUCP>, matt@oddjob.UUCP (Matt Crawford) writes:
> 
> Tad, do you really believe that the price of a "B-1A" 8 years ago
> would have been anywhere near the estimate then in effect?  And
> do you believe that if the wretched things had been purchased,
> that the bugs would ever have been fixed?  Do you know how much
> deception was used to "prove" that a B-52 with cruise missiles
> could not serve instead of a B-1?  Shut the mouth and open the
> mind, Tad.  You are being duped.  If it's any comfort, you are
> probably in the majority.
> Matt		University	crawford@anl-mcs.arpa
> Crawford	of Chicago	ihnp4!oddjob!matt

The roles of the B-52 with cruise missiles and a B-1 are different
though.  The B-52 is to be used as a standoff launcher for the cruise
missiles.  The B-1 is a penetration bomber, designed to penetrate
enemy defenses and directly bomb targets.  Cruise missiles are great,
they are small, reasonably inexpensive, and very accurate.  But they
do have a problem, they act too much like a target drone.  They
generally fly in a relatively straight line, and the navigation
radar makes an excellent homing becan.  True when they are over
the ground they are quite low.  But when they are launched from
the B-52 they are at a rather high attitude.  This is how they
get part of their great range.


-- 
Kenneth Ng:
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