Quote:
Originally Posted by obrescia
FB-111, B-1A (B-1B?) and B2 have the same mission.... manned penetrator.
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That's like saying an LA Class and Ohio Class have the same mission- traveling underwater.
The 3 bombers you mention have very different missions, the FB-111 was just an interim solution. And F-117, Global Hawk, B-2 were not available when the B-1 program began (nor were "all manner" of cruise missiles- there was Tomahawk).
B-1B actually has better low altitude performance than B-1A, and is supersonic (M1.25) at altitude, while neither stealth platform you mentioned or Global Hawk are. Range and payload are more than double the FB-111.
Of all the AC you mentioned, only B-2 has a range and loadout approaching the B-1B.
The Bone is an excellent aircraft, the flight crews love them. But they are also getting long in the tooth, the world today is not the world of 1970, and there are many more options today than we had back then.
Horses for courses.