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From: medin@ucbvax.ARPA (Milo Medin)
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: Re: B-58, et. al.
Message-ID: <2282@ucbvax.ARPA>
Date: Sun, 30-Sep-84 15:41:42 EDT
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.2282
Posted: Sun Sep 30 15:41:42 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 1-Oct-84 04:40:29 EDT
References: <3188@rabbit.UUCP>
Organization: University of California at Berkeley
Lines: 65

*Flame on*

Oh come off it!! The reason the B-58 was scrapped is because it
was a nightmare to fly and keep in one piece, not because of a
demphasis of bombers because of ICBM's.  Just to inform you of
a few minor differences of bombers and planes:

1) Bombers are recallable, if you make a mistake, you have a 2nd
chance.

2) Bombers are retargetable in mid-flight.  Once you set the
targets into an ICBM at launch, you cant change it, even if you
find out there is a more important target you want to hit.

3) Bombers can provide assesment of the attack and can provide
intelligence info along the way as well.

4) Most of the megatonage is in the bomber force.  All the biggies
go into bombers, ICBM's are for counterforce strikes.

5) Bombers provide a way to communicate intent to the enemy.
If you scramble a wing of bombers, the Russians can see you do
it, and realize you are ticked off.  If you launch ICBM's,
the russians will see them too, and will probably react in a
very unpleasant way.

Of course, these trivial differences I'm sure wont change your
minds, but some of us who work in the National Defense business
do regard them as fairly important.

With regards to Soviet Air Defenses, you are right, things are
massively developed.  But the B-1B has 1/150th the radar
cross section of a B-52, tho its physically a little bigger,
and lots bigger in payload.  They can do really neat things
when you have a low RCS like this.  For example, there is
a little black box that will take the radar reflection of the
plane and project it onto the ground.  Can you figure what this
means if you shoot a radar guided missile at it.  The B-1 is an
extremely capable and agile aircraft, and will serve a VERY
important role in our deterrent forces. And dont you forget,
those Russian Bozo's took a long long time in shooting down that
airliner over Soviet airspace (both times).  Can you imagine
what their performance would be under a full scale bomber
attack?  Sure the defenses are hairy, but you gotta use them
if they are to be effective.

You are right tho, there are a few politicians like Mondale
who doesnt know diddly squat about strategic doctrine.  At
least the Reagan administration properly sees the importance
of keeping alive the triad.

*flame off*

Oh by the way, I have never worked for Rockwell or a contractor
for any of the B-1 subsystems.  I have worked on nuclear weapons
design and laser modeling, but not having to do with bomber
programs of any sort.  I work for NASA currently, on computer
networks.  I feel I am fairly objective on this issue, and I
am a member of a professional Electronic Warfare organization
(I'm an Old Crow), and keep abreast of developments in the
field.  


				Milo