 Editor in Chief Bill   | 12 Feb 2018 8:06 p.m. PST |
The Air Force on Monday revealed its long-range plan to eventually jettison its supersonic B-1 and stealthy B-2 bombers earlier than planned while keeping the venerable B-52, an aging Cold War workhorse that first flew in 1954 and was last built in 1962, flying into the 2050s… link |
zoneofcontrol  | 12 Feb 2018 10:05 p.m. PST |
I saw this article earlier today. It is really amazing that they just keep on going. I wonder if anyone tracks the generations of airmen who fly and service these beasts. It would be neat to see if and how many generations of a given family served these aircraft. |
| Uparmored | 13 Feb 2018 12:48 a.m. PST |
M2 Browning .50 cal basic design is about 100 years old isn't it? When something works, it works. |
| Caedite Eos | 13 Feb 2018 7:01 a.m. PST |
I wonder how much Boeing would charge to spool up a new production line and make them again like the Reds are doing with Tu160s. It'd probably bankrupt us. |
Ed Mohrmann  | 13 Feb 2018 8:12 a.m. PST |
Given the BUFF's ability as a stand-off launch platform
for nuke-tipped missiles, kind of makes sense, although
the newer aircraft can perform in the same role, I believe. Perhaps the BUFF fleet is cheaper to maintain and operate ? Of course the BUFF's can also deliver a shed load of
guided JDAMs, too. The lift capacity of the '52 is
amazing. |
| zoneofcontrol | 13 Feb 2018 12:43 p.m. PST |
I was reading some of the comments that follow the attached article. One former '52 pilot said they used to joke about the '52 doing a ceremonial flyover when the B-1 and B-2 are retired and sent to the boneyard. That could very well happen. |
 Cacique Caribe | 13 Feb 2018 12:58 p.m. PST |
LOL. Maybe we should be making more 52s. Dan |
| doug redshirt | 13 Feb 2018 1:30 p.m. PST |
They actually got the cost of the B1 below the B 52 in recent years in cost per hour flown. If they are retiring the B1 and B 2 it is only to try and convince congress to buy that new bomber they want. The nice thing about the continuing increase in the cost of aircraft, is that soon we will only need one airbase for all 3 aircraft we will own. |
| Caedite Eos | 14 Feb 2018 5:35 a.m. PST |
We won't even need an airbase – we'll have so few there will never be any at readiness. I wonder if the B2's stealth is effective enough against Vlad's new radar and missles to justify the cost of operation. If you can be seen anyway you might as well fly the Buff. |
| Lion in the Stars | 15 Feb 2018 9:20 p.m. PST |
If you can be seen anyway you might as well fly the Buff. Or the Bone. Either one carries significantly more bombload than the B2. Bone carries 50% more bombload internally, and another 100% if we toss the treaty agreeing to not put bombs on the external pylons. (75klbs internally and 50klbs externally for the Bone, ~50klbs internally for the B2) I think that the B2 is still stealthy enough against any air-based radars (like missile seeker heads), but a command-guided missile controlled from the ground is probably a threat. But the B21 is a direct replacement for the B2. |
