Let's assume for whatever reason Cheney didn't become SecDef under Bush Sr.'s administration, what changes would it have on the US Armed Forces? Could we see Super Tomcats? Earlier F-22s?
Marc A
Marc A
Interesting question, especially if John Tower had been confirmed or someone else besides Cheney: You'd see the F-14D program go ahead (he killed it after 67 airframes), though the A-12 was so behind schedule and over budget that any SECDEF would've had to kill it. Bringing back the A-6F in its place would've happened, or the Navy AX program goes ahead in 1992 after the A-12 gets the ax. Maybe an earlier start to the F/A-18E/F, though the F would strictly be a trainer instead of the F-14/A-6 replacement it turned out becoming. The AF would've replaced its F-111s on a one-for-one basis with the F-15E, and maybe the Advanced Wild Weasel (a flyoff between the F-15G, F-16G, and Tornado Wild Weasel) goes ahead.
Cuts in nuclear forces would in all likelihood stay as they were OTL. (i.e. cancelling SRAM-II, SRAM-T, and the MGM-134 Midgetman ICBM program, and removing bombers from day-to-day nuclear alert) Though it's possible that the B-2 program gets some increases from 21 airframes (say, 25 or so, maybe 30 if you're lucky. And no additional Trident submarines, though six more hulls were planned.