Daryl Hunt
Your Worst Nightmare
- Banned
- #1
When the B-21 is introduced, the AF will be replacing the B-2 one for one. When they have all the B-2s out of service, they start going one for one on the B-1. The Buff sticks around since it's by far the most versatile of the current 3.
It goes with cost of operation as much as how versatile the bomber is.; It's the fact that the B-2 is extremely high in operation costs. And they can only get about half of them operational at any given time. Just flying around, the stealthy paint chips which degrades the stealth capability. This means when it degrades enough the whole B-2 has to head for the Paint Shop and have it repaired. This includes at least 3 days of cure time. Plus, the cost of actual operation is one of the highest per unit in the AF.
Then there is the Bone. They are running out of parts for it. They are Cannibalizing from the boneyard at too high a rate. They know the Bone is not long for the world so they aren't spending a lot of money on new parts when the Boneyard has been well stocked. Then there is the Bomb bays. In order to carry more bombs, they used a shorter bomb bay than the Buff. it's slightly shorter. With the new long ranged air launch cruise missiles that are longer than the bomb bay, it has to get closer to fire it's weapons. Making it less important than the Buff which can fire, drop, etc. everything in the AF inventory short of the MOAB. Plus, the Bone has a much higher operating cost than the Buff. The Bone was being looked at as a Missile Truck since it could carry more than 16 AMRAAMs. But with the F-15 being modified to carry 12 of them that pretty well negates the need. Plus, the F-15 does have offensive capabilities where the Bone doesn't have any. Once it launches, if it's too close to the fight, can't disengage. It becomes a missile magnet.
The B-21 can be made at a fourth the cost of the B-2. Plus, like everything else, it's borrowing heavily technology from the F-35 and expanding on it. It ends up making the B-2, in comparison, a wright flyer.
The AF only wishes 2 types of bombers. It's almost impossible to support all 4 so they had to make a choice. And the Buff will be flown by the Grand Kids of the original crew that once flew them. They will be in service at least until 2050. Meaning that the Buff will be around for at least 70 years in one for or another. The Buff went into service in 1955 making it already in service almost as long as the C-130 which was put into service 1954.
It goes with cost of operation as much as how versatile the bomber is.; It's the fact that the B-2 is extremely high in operation costs. And they can only get about half of them operational at any given time. Just flying around, the stealthy paint chips which degrades the stealth capability. This means when it degrades enough the whole B-2 has to head for the Paint Shop and have it repaired. This includes at least 3 days of cure time. Plus, the cost of actual operation is one of the highest per unit in the AF.
Then there is the Bone. They are running out of parts for it. They are Cannibalizing from the boneyard at too high a rate. They know the Bone is not long for the world so they aren't spending a lot of money on new parts when the Boneyard has been well stocked. Then there is the Bomb bays. In order to carry more bombs, they used a shorter bomb bay than the Buff. it's slightly shorter. With the new long ranged air launch cruise missiles that are longer than the bomb bay, it has to get closer to fire it's weapons. Making it less important than the Buff which can fire, drop, etc. everything in the AF inventory short of the MOAB. Plus, the Bone has a much higher operating cost than the Buff. The Bone was being looked at as a Missile Truck since it could carry more than 16 AMRAAMs. But with the F-15 being modified to carry 12 of them that pretty well negates the need. Plus, the F-15 does have offensive capabilities where the Bone doesn't have any. Once it launches, if it's too close to the fight, can't disengage. It becomes a missile magnet.
The B-21 can be made at a fourth the cost of the B-2. Plus, like everything else, it's borrowing heavily technology from the F-35 and expanding on it. It ends up making the B-2, in comparison, a wright flyer.
The AF only wishes 2 types of bombers. It's almost impossible to support all 4 so they had to make a choice. And the Buff will be flown by the Grand Kids of the original crew that once flew them. They will be in service at least until 2050. Meaning that the Buff will be around for at least 70 years in one for or another. The Buff went into service in 1955 making it already in service almost as long as the C-130 which was put into service 1954.