Afghan campaign by the numbers, via StrategyPage:
39%: USAF B-1 Lancer heavy bombers, flying at night (mostly ignored by the media)
29%: USAF B-52 bombers, flying in the daytime (and getting all of the good TV coverage)
24%: US Navy fighters and attack planes of various types
8%: USAF fighters (F-15E, F-16) flying mostly from Central Asian bases
The only nations really capable of contesting the skies are already on our side, with the possible exception of France. But since the French Air Force is usually grounded for reasons involving (insert surrender joke here) or (something about cheese), do we really need expensive big bombers to deliver the goods?
A while back, Glenn came up (I think) with the idea of a B-747. Give a big-ass passensger jet a stiffer body, better avionics, and bomb doors on its belly. Instant replacement for the aging B-52, the cranky B-1, and the cost-prohibitive B-2.
With AWACS and the world’s best fighters (and fighter pilots) able to keep the skies clear, why shouldn’t we build cheap bombers?
What I can’t remember is, did anyone already shoot down the idea? Steven? Sarge? Anyone?
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