Replies

By the time the B-52 reasches 2040 the plane would be 100 years old. We need new planes because we have new adversaries(the Chinese) and old ones(Russia) who investing heavily in their militaries. These new bombers would probably to be exoatmospheric and reach their targets within 5-15 minutes.

I don't think we will have such planes for a long time to come. It takes a lot of energy and money to get them into space, just think, you'd need the equivalent of a system that was used to launch a Gemini capsule using a Titan II missile. Also, when you get into space, the re-entry is rough as well. Basically. you'd have a new version of the Space Shuttle. Bombers need to be able to take off within a few minutes, something like this cannot be ready in that time although I do say it could be used for a first strike perhaps.

Really, when you think about it, airplane performance reached a plateau around 1960, an F-4 is just as fast and can do the same job as an F-22. True, the electronics and stealth have evolved further but again, you run into cost and logistics and IMHO, stealth is way overrated, it can be picked up by continuous wave radar which is very low tech, like the Chain Home system the UK had in WWII. There will be a point that even our adversaries will realize that logistics and costs will come into play as well, you can only afford so many SU-30's.

The B-52 will be around for a long time to come and I'm sure even the TU-95 Bear will be there too.

It takes 12 hours for the B-52 to reach their targets inside Russia. Do you think with the ever improving air defenses and fighter defenses they can reach their targets?

The B-52 was designed for a different era. Now its time to mmove over and let an advanced bomber take its place.

"...an F-4 is just as fast and can do the same job as an F-22..."

Umm...no. (Being polite here.)