July 27, 2017
The US Air Force Needs More Bombers Than It’s Asking For
In a future combat zone dominated by advanced 3-D air search radars, directed-energy weapons, electromagnetic railguns, and hypersonic missiles, there is still room — indeed, a strong requirement — for the new B-21 heavy bomber. Analysis suggests that the United States needs a lot of them, far more than the 100 new bombers the Air Force currently desires.
To prosecute a major, sustained long-range strike campaign within an anti-access/area denial environment dominated by China’s HQ-9 or Russia’s S-400 missiles, the Air Force needs to add a minimum of 164 B-21 bombers to the nation’s older but nonetheless relevant B-52 Stratofortress and B-2 Spirit stealth bombers. This is because heavy bombers, whose form and function have been honed in hot and cold wars over a century, can perform missions and hit targets that no other platform can.
Read the full article in Defense One.
More from CNAS
-
Sharper: Day One
Commentary
The Biden-Harris administration will confront a range of national security challenges from the moment it takes office....
By Chris Estep
-
How the Defense Budget Could Actually Increase (Slightly)
Commentary
Once all is said and done, it is more likely that defense spending will end up growing rather than shrinking....
By Diem Salmon
-
The President (Probably) Isn’t Going To Nuke Anything This Week
Commentary
The idea that presidents are able to use nuclear weapons in any way they personally desire is not correct....
By Tom Shugart
-
Defense Priorities Under Biden
Video
Richard Fontaine and Robert O. Work join the World Affairs Council of Greater Houston to discuss the Biden Pentagon and the future of U.S. defense. Watch the full conversatio...
By Richard Fontaine & Robert O. Work
