Quote:
Originally Posted by Bilge_Rat
B-52s are obsolete as a front line bomber. Even during the Vietnam War, they were relegated to areas with few air defences. When B-52s were launched against North Vietnam in the Xmas bombings, they suffered heavy losses and air defence networks now are much more deadly than in 1972.
Now, if the USAF has a need for counter-insurgency or CAS work and B-52s can fill the need better than the current fleet of F-16/15/18, fine, but somehow I doubt it.
nice airplane though. My favorite B-52 film was Dr. Strangelove. Kubrick did not have USAF permission to film in a real B-52, but they did have access to public photos. His B-52 set was so accurate that the USAF launched an investigation to see if there had been a security leak.  |
The B-52s suffered heavy losses because the higher ups where forcing them to fly the exact same flight paths mission after mission also they where flying an already obsolescent manner of attack partly because they where flying older B-52Ds and Fs which never had the NOE system installed that the B-52Gs and Hs had from around 1970 they did want to risk the latest models on a type of mission that insures large loses(they cant give away their NOE tactics) I also speculate that they used the older WWII style attacks in Vietnam because they knew that the Soviets would study the NV radar and had they flown NOE missions in Gs and Hs it would have been a windfall to the Soviets.You are correct that the B-52 is obsolete in the old type bomber role something that was never the primary mission of H and G model 52s I doubt you know for certain what you are talking about to be frankly honest a B-52H can do what several fighters can do and has a much better loiter ability as well.And Dr.Strange Love is accurate form the interior details but they did not show an important part of the early G and H models weapons systems the "Hound dog" cruise missile AGM-28 which was supposed to blow wholes into Soviet air defense networks(this weapon had a nuclear warhead also preventing its use in Vietnam just one would wiped out 90% of the radar grid up north I bet) The B-52 is the ultimate adapter even the B-2 can not make this claim nor the B-1B both are more costly and can carry and loiter for less time.
Even in 1972 SAC would not flown a strike on the USSR in the manner that the bombings where flown in 1972 you are taking into consideration an isolated incident of forced use of the B-52 in an exposed manner it is incorrect and you completely fail to take into account how the B-52 would have truly been flown against the Soviets.Since then the BUFF has been adapted to the differing role of what a bomber is.