Speculating about the B-3

Here
http://www.csis.org/component/option,com_csis_pubs/task,view/id,4301/
is a paper CSIS did on the “B-3”. Been thinking about that bomber for some time now, and – as usual – I’m very proud to see my views not being way off. :p

Besides the bomber itself a few things are interesting, I think. No1 that everybody seems to think that there is no way the USAF will have 2000 tactical platforms and the apparent willingness to kill half the F-35 purchase with all its consequences (supports my view of a Unified Tactical Air Corps, and F-35C only or even twin-seater F-35C2 only buy). And No2 that there is still no real integrated approach to air power in the U.S. armed forces (visible in things like the C-17 accquisition, tactical airlifter and FCS, UCAS, KC-X numbers, LHA-R — just to name a few current projects, not talking about the past).

So, the B-3 issue:

# No1 I think that what is going on currently is a waste of money, using modern supersonic jets for COIN/CT. Hence I agree with the auxiliary bomber concept for those missions w/o airborne or anti-air threat. Like the Luftwaffe used Ju52 in Spain, the USAF needs a B-767 for long-range/loitering stand-off CAS (doubling as AAR platform with hose/drogue for A-10, also doubling as com-relay). Such a B-767 could be fielded within three years.

# No2 the B-3 itself:
Mission description I would put as “Deep Strike against mobile, time-critical targets, doubling as ISR platform”,
resulting in rough specs like:
— supercruise with an unrefuelled combat radius of at least 2250nm
— the question of penetration altitude: Low only if do-able technically and pricewise
— payload 10 metric tons consisting of Skybolt/SRAM-types and enhanced free-falling types, not more than 8 effectors
— nuclear qualified
— manned (maybe back to four crew cockpit), but optionally unmanned
— for the ISR mission a kind of parasite UAV could be an option for increased coverage, also as decoy

# The rest of the current/future long-range strike fleet:
— retire B-52H NOW
— get B-767 auxiliary bomber NOW
— keep & upgrade B-1B along B-1R ideas in a purely conventional role till B-767 is available, then retire
— keep & upgrade the B-2A in a purely nuclear role till B-3 is operational, then use them for outsized conventional Grand Slam-type ammo
— build between 170 and 220 B-3, IOC no later than 2020/22
— end that LHA-R nonsense and build one more CVN instead to carrier-base UCAS groups for strike, ECM and ISR and give the carriers a meaningful long-range attack capability, also equip a number of land-based groups with them replacing F-15E (along my Unified Tactical Air Corps approach).

Comments?