What is the best bomber in the US Military currently?

What is the best bomber in the US Military currently?

  • B-52

    Votes: 16 43.2%
  • B-1 Lancer

    Votes: 3 8.1%
  • B-2 Spirit

    Votes: 18 48.6%

  • Total voters
    37
What is the best bomber in the US Military currently all things taken into consideration?

B-52. it's reliable, multi-purposed, cheap, and affordable in large numbers. B-1s and B-2s are really cool aircraft, however, they cannot fufill America's needs in the event of a general war with Russia/China given their small numbers.
 
B-52. it's reliable, multi-purposed, cheap, and affordable in large numbers. B-1s and B-2s are really cool aircraft, however, they cannot fufill America's needs in the event of a general war with Russia/China given their small numbers.
Aren't the B-1s/B-2s more suited in combat against peer/neer peer opponents like China and Russia?

There's no point in deploying dozens of B-52s if they suffer appalling losses every time.
 
B-52. it's reliable, multi-purposed, cheap, and affordable in large numbers. B-1s and B-2s are really cool aircraft, however, they cannot fufill America's needs in the event of a general war with Russia/China given their small numbers.

Aren't the B-1s/B-2s more suited in combat against peer/neer peer opponents like China and Russia?

There's no point in deploying dozens of B-52s if they suffer appalling losses every time.

Yeah, while the B-2 has drawbacks related to serviceability, speed, and cost, it can operate in denied airspace and is a formidable anti-A2AD weapon unto itself. The B-52 still has valuable uses but it just isn't. It needs an escort and at least semi-permissible airspace. New threats like 5th-Gen fighters and the S-400 (and the S-500 when it reaches Initial Operating Capability) are something it has a hard time dealing with.

Their cost benefits are also mitigated by the fact that the production line for them has also been shut down for close to half a century, so the ones we have are literally irreplacable.
 
B-52s and B-1s are still usable as standoff carriers against more advanced opponents-there to just stay (hopefully) a good distance away, launch their hordes of JASSMs/CALCMS and then skedaddle back. B-2s can do the same and move closer if need be.
 
B-52s and B-1s are still usable as standoff carriers against more advanced opponents-there to just stay (hopefully) a good distance away, launch their hordes of JASSMs/CALCMS and then skedaddle back. B-2s can do the same and move closer if need be.
What is a standoff carrier?
 
What is a standoff carrier?
A bomber that can carry air launched cruise missiles and other weapons that can travel a distance to a target. Given the deployment of the Small Diameter Bomb, that's a capability that most bomber/attack/fighter/strike aircraft now have.
 
What is a standoff carrier?
Something that launches a bomb or missile with a significant ability to self maneuver over range.

For example a B52 can launch guided missiles from over 120km away from the target.

This means they launch from a position of safety and avoid SAM concentrations.
 
Something that launches a bomb or missile with a significant ability to self maneuver over range.

For example a B52 can launch guided missiles from over 120km away from the target.

This means they launch from a position of safety and avoid SAM concentrations.

120 km is not at all safe from modern anti-air defenses.

And, concerning the B2, there is a strong doubt that its stealth technology, developed 30 years ago, is still that stealth to modern radars.

Electronics and radars are improving so much faster than stealth they most probably have caught up.

The US best "bomber" is in fact the cruise missiles. The US have so many that their cruise missiles can saturate any top-rank air defense if it can launch them from shooting range.
 
Something that launches a bomb or missile with a significant ability to self maneuver over range.

For example a B52 can launch guided missiles from over 120km away from the target.

This means they launch from a position of safety and avoid SAM concentrations.

S-300 can get out to 200 km, S-400 to 400. That isn't a safe distance.
 
Just for the record given its lack of love, I voted for the B2 but my second choice is the B1 over the B52. In fact the B1 is the coolest of the 3 but that wasn't the question.
 
.......
And, concerning the B2, there is a strong doubt that its stealth technology, developed 30 years ago, is still that stealth to modern radars.

Electronics and radars are improving so much faster than stealth they most probably have caught up..........

I don't think it's the radars themselves that are the problem, rather sensor networking. Stealth stuff isn't invisible to radar, instead it doesn't generate good tracks until very close range. However sendor fusion and networking can use a bunch of shitty contacts from a bunch of different sensors to create a single workable track.

The question is what countries can afford this sort of networked sensor setup? Not many is my guess.
 
I don't think it's the radars themselves that are the problem, rather sensor networking. Stealth stuff isn't invisible to radar, instead it doesn't generate good tracks until very close range. However sendor fusion and networking can use a bunch of shitty contacts from a bunch of different sensors to create a single workable track.

The question is what countries can afford this sort of networked sensor setup? Not many is my guess.

Right. But most of the countries against which the use of the B2 would be relevent are the countries that fan afford this kind of equipment. One does not need B2s against Afghanistan or Libya.
 
The B-1 is a white elephant,the B-52 is better at stand off attacks and carpet bombing while the B-2 is better at deep penetration strikes.
 
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