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One really has to wonder. It’s such a simple and effective idea, why wouldn’t we have done it? Sure can’t be that hard to keep hidden. Rocket launches happen all the time. No spectacular tech to leak out. No real hyper-complex system to maintain outside fuel for the sat - and we repair/refuel them regularly. Just a targeting system computer and a bunch of heavy metal.

I’d be more apt to think it’s been up there since the 60s and that all the rest has been no more than a dog and pony show to hide the fact that we can hit anything, anywhere at damn near any reasonable depth.

...And that if we used it on Iran, then the cat’s outta the bag. But if we have it and don’t....

Interesting thing to ponder.

Perhaps the XB-37 (mini space plane) is laying the groundwork. Also, there was another thread here about an alleged ‘airstrike’ on an Iranian facility (Isfahan?) a few months back.

And they would make dandy targets for the Chinese anti-sat missiles ...

One really has to wonder. It’s such a simple and effective idea, why wouldn’t we have done it? Sure can’t be that hard to keep hidden. Rocket launches happen all the time. No spectacular tech to leak out. No real hyper-complex system to maintain outside fuel for the sat - and we repair/refuel them regularly. Just a targeting system computer and a bunch of heavy metal.

I’d be more apt to think it’s been up there since the 60s and that all the rest has been no more than a dog and pony show to hide the fact that we can hit anything, anywhere at damn near any reasonable depth.

That reminds me of a story where my German teacher, back ib the 1970's, took his students over to West and East Germany as well as Switzerland. He saw a shack on top of a mountain in Switzerland and he asked a guard what it was and the guard replied, "it is a laser defense system to knock out any missiles and planes that would attack us, it's been there since 1968." Yeah, perhaps the guard is pulling his leg it is certainly possible but what if he wasn't? Still it would be weird to be free with such information but I digress.

Shifting gears, I just think we put too much faith into a lot of this "Buck Rogers/Flash Gordon stuff" (as my grandmother would say), a lot of this is certainly doable and possible, but very costly to run and you need an extensive network, it is almost to the point to where it is prohibitive and not practical. It would be nice to have the best semi-auto rifle in the world for defense if the SHTF, but if you are limited in a budget, you might have to do with a shotgun and a handgun.

Also, there is no such thing as an obsolete weapon, you just have to change tactics and use of it. Then you have pilot training too, it is the quality of pilots. It's like the scenario I was discussing with a friend where it is certainly possible for a MiG-17 to defeat an F-22. It depends how you apply it, the training and yes, luck of course. You always have intangible factors like that that come into play.

I think we have become too used to technology improving at a rapid pace. Again, we basically plateaued in jet performance when it comes to speed, maneuverability and range around 1960 or so. Computers have gone beyond that of course, but again, cost comes into play, it costs a lot to make one plane and like Dad's Ferrari, it will be so costly, you'd be worried that you'd wreck it if you drive it. B-)

We live or have lived in a unique part of history. In many ways, I think we have slowed down a lot in technology, at least in the practical application of it. The 20th Century was the era of fastest technology growth, we went from horses and steam engines in 1900 to landing man on them Moon in less than 70 years and to the internet almost 100 years later. I think we've slowed down quite a bit with the exception of medical technology, well, that will happen too, think Obamacare.

So overall, I do see the logic of keeping the B-52's and B-1's flying as more of a practical thing than a space plane that has been discussed. It is a neat concept, but when I think of all the problems we had with the Space Shuttle, it will be a worse hanger queen than the B-2 bomber.