(From LiveLeak via DangerRoom)
The B2 Bomber (yet another plane without a mission) suffered its first crash back in February of this year.
Thanks to the miracle of the internet - you can watch.
AV-12, the Spirit of Kansas, is the second plane to take off at about 1:50 in.
This plane would be yet another reason heads should roll in the Air Force - not to mention in the DoD at large.
And no, this isn't just a "it costs too much" rants. I recognize that defense costs money - but the world has changed dramatically since this plane was requested.
This plane was originally going to be a high altitude bomber. Which makes sense, it's huge. Now it's supposed to be a terrain following stealth penetrator.
But to deliver what? We have ICBMs for long range nuke delivery (and they don't need stealth) - so that's redundant.
So it's to deliver conventional munitions?
Okay - we have that capability in the F-117 stealth fighter (which yes, is short range) but we also have cruise missiles (TLAMs) that cost a (mere) half million a shot. TLAMs can be launched from ships and submarines and have a range of 1,500 miles. There's not a lot that doesn't cover.
For the price of a single B2 we can have over 3,500 TLAMs.
So, that leaves what - loitering time/ ability to change targets mid-flight and penetrating munitions.
The only solution to these issues is a 2 billion dollar manned aircraft? Hah.
It's been true for a long time that the most limiting part of the aircraft is the pilot. You can build an airframe that can take turns that will kill a human. You have to wonder why a pilot is required at all. The plane/pilot dynamic is changing and the B2 is the most expensive example of us building pricier versions of what we've always built instead of looking to see if there's really a return for all those extra dollars.
Plus:
A TLAM crashes - you send another TLAM. A B2 crashes - you've lost 2 billion just for starters. You've also lost two pilots, and there's no such thing as a long-range stealth rescue chopper.
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