A study just published by the Air Force's main lobbying organization, the Air Force Association, concludes that the nation "should gradually shift to a dyad" of submarines and missiles, phasing out bombers. The reasoning: the nation's bomber fleet is largely antiquated, and the latest-generation plane, the bat-winged B-2 (also known as the stealth bomber), costs about $2 billion apiece. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and other Pentagon officials have indicated that such expensive piloted bombers may no longer be affordable.
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AFA is dominated by retired fighter pilots. The same guys who dismantled SAC and got us in the mess with nuclear negligence. They studiously avoid the real question: manned flight. While we are replacing bombers with missiles, why don't we face reality and replace manned fighters with UAVs? Oh and what about all those highly paid AF "pilots" flying those UAVs? When will the AF join the club and let enlisted troops fly them? The AF motto is "to fly, to fight and to win," but to a lot of the fighter pilot community, the "win" part is silent.
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