Oh, I'm not so sure about that:
The B-52 wouldn’t be as much of a threat - these days it’s not a very good penetrator against modern air defenses. It can only be used if hostile air forces and much ground defense has been suppressed or destroyed.
That may be, however the sheer mass is intimidating.
“It can only be used if hostile air forces and much ground defense has been suppressed or destroyed.”
Then it delivers tonnage. Big tonnage.
Care to retract your insult to the BUF?
An older article because it doesn’t includea recent announcement for a nuke cruise missile.
https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/b52/
“The B-52H, with a weapons payload of more than 70,000lb, is capable of carrying the most diverse range of weapons of any combat aircraft.
The nuclear weapons capacity includes 12 AGM-129 advanced cruise missiles (ACMS), 20 AGM-86A air-launched cruise missiles (ALCM) and eight bombs.
The conventional weapons payload is eight AGM-84 Harpoon missiles, four AGM-142 Raptor missiles, 51 500lb bombs, 30 1,000lb bombs, 20 AGM-86C conventional air-launched cruise missiles (CALCM), 12 joint stand-off weapons (JSOW), 12 joint direct-attack munitions (JDAM) and 16 wind-corrected munitions dispenser (WCMD). WCMD was first deployed by the B-52 in 2002 in Afghanistan. JSOW entered service in 2003 and was deployed during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The B-52 was the first aircraft to be equipped with the joint air-to-surface standoff missile (JASSM), which was cleared for operational use in October 2003.
In June 2006, Boeing was awarded a contract for the B-52 smart weapons integration next-generation (SWING), to support integration of future weapon systems such as JASSM extended-range, small diameter bomb and boost phase interceptor, until 2020.
In October 2006, Boeing announced that the B-52 can carry 32 small diameter bombs (SDB) on the common strategic rotary launcher in the bomb bay.
During Operation Iraqi Freedom in April 2003, a B-52 was fitted with the Northrop Grumman Litening II laser targeting pod, which was used to strike targets in Northern Iraq. In 2007, the USAF began fitting Litening to the B-52 fleet. The B-52 is fitted with the Lockheed Martin Sniper ATP advanced targeting pod. By December 2009, the Sniper demonstrated its capability to operate on B-52H aircraft.
In October 2010, Lockheed Martin-built JASSM successfully accomplished Lot 7 Reliability Assessment Programme flight tests at White Sands Missile Range, NM, by using B-52 and F-16 aircraft against a wide range of targets in various operational scenarios.
Boeing was awarded a eight-year, $11.9bn contract by the US Air Force in September 2010 to overhaul B-52H weapons systems.
The B-52H can also deliver 51 500lb, 30 1,000lb and 20 2,000lb navy mines.”
The author in this article would disagree.
The B-52 wouldn’t be as much of a threat - these days it’s not a very good penetrator against modern air defenses. It can only be used if hostile air forces and much ground defense has been suppressed or destroyed.
Not anymore. Taking out those defenses from stand off range along with B2’s is one of their missions.
I don’t think Iran has much in the way of defensive weapons.
So... next week, then...
It can carry cruise missiles such as the AGM-86 or the JASSM-ER.
Hi.
Happy New Year.
As you know air defenses would be suppressed by various means. Buffs have ECM and other counter measures.
Imho, we wouldn’t lose one BUFF.
5.56MM
Oh, I'm not so sure about that:
That's what the first 52 F-35's are for.
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