[SampleMan]

During the late colonial period, major powers had first-line and second-line warships in their navies.

First-line for dealing with other major powers and second-line for dealing with the rest.

For the air support missions of the last 2 decades, Cat-4/5 aircraft are overkill and that surplus capability comes with a large price tag.

What is needed is a bomb sled, with up to date comm/nav electronics, but without the need for fly-by-wire, composite materials, stealth, etc. Lot’s of ordnance, good range, and good dwell time. With that, I wouldn’t worry about an air-to-air refueling capability either.

[mark_interrupted]

In other words the A-10

[2banana]

You talking the A-10?

[Spirochete]

What is needed is a bomb sled, with up to date comm/nav electronics, but without the need for fly-by-wire, composite materials, stealth, etc. Lot’s of ordnance, good range, and good dwell time. With that, I wouldn’t worry about an air-to-air refueling capability either.

There was rumored to be a missile truck version of the B-1 in the works, the B-1R.