[Cannoneer No. 4]

Check out the Spooky II

Capabilities like this are what makes the US a superpower. What we need is 500 aerial gun platforms, powered by some type of engines that do not require refueling, like nuclear, or space-based energy beams, with a flat-top fusilage for conventional aircraft to land on, and we could establish Pax Americana upon the whole planet. Don't you just love global hegemony?

[anobjectivist]

I think that would be more realistic with current technology with lighter-than-air aircraft.

An enourmous blimp with landing space for other aircraft. The problem is defending it.

[error99]

"...some type of engines that do not require refueling, like nuclear..."
There is a very good reason why nuclear propulsion is confined to water...at least with current technology.

[Man of the Right]

The Air Force would like a giant platform to replace the B-52 and B-1 in low-risk environments. How about converting C-5s into a platform for delivering our remaining World War II inventory of dumb bombs?

Personally, I was a fan of the old B-52D, which could drop 120 500-pound bombs. A cell of three aircraft could leave a very interesting 1/4 mi. x 2 mi. scene of total devastation. The 150 B-52s used in Linebacker II did some very interesting things to North Vietnam.

The C-5 would make the B-52 look like a Piper Cub. An attack by 50 would convince bin Laden to go to mass.