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Originally Posted by B.Smitty
Actually that's not entirely true. Standoff munitions will give a B-52 some capability against a lower end IADS. (not SA-10-class obviously).
Plus there's always F-teens, B-1/2s, F-117s and now F-22As.
Besides, if history is any measure, the enemy IADS and air threat will have been reduced well before the need for CAS.
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Not true. First of all, these aircraft you mention aren't total stealth. For instance the B-2 will appear on radar no matter what the distance. For instance a radar might pick it up as a blip the size of a bird at med. range and a bumble bee at longer ranges. But the radar software filters that crap out since radar operators don't care about where every bird in the area is at, unless it's the kind of bird that drops bombs.
A B-2 costs 1.2 billion (2.2 according to some sources) to build. Are you trying to tell me that we should send that in to hostile territory? When instead we can have a battleship sit a couple miles off shore and bombard the target? if they have the technology to threaten a Iowa a couple miles off shore, then you can bet your social security benefits that they will have some primative means of threatning a B-2.
And the F-22 is less stealthy than a B-2 and a F-117. It's only stealthy enough to ensure air superiority. And the new JSF is only stealthy enough to ensure tactical advantage. duh.
A Iowa costs about 1.2 billion to reactivate and modernize according to Phase I plans. 2.1 billion to fully modernize. So good idea! Lets send a 1.2 billion dollar bomber in right over the enemys heads rather than a Battleship a ways offshore! Great idea!