That’s more due to engines than anything else. The Tu-160 is optimized for Mach 2+ flight, which reduces payload and range to emphasize speed.

Well the whole point of the A-10 right now is that it can operate against the enemies that don’t have Pantsirs, or MANPADs, or modern tactics, all for the fraction of the cost of a F-35.

That’s the other arsenal ship you are thinking of.

Stealth fighters already rely heavily on tankers and AWACS, both of which are far less survivable than a B-1.

The SM-6 would work on the B-1B, it could carry about 24, albeit at a high bomb-load. A fighter really couldn’t carry more than 2 of them though, if it wanted to exceed supersonic airspeeds.

Another one of Tyler’s write-ups addressed this, I think. Definitely would be an outstanding addition to the force.

Funny enough, it will probably be fighting the J-20 (which is like 66% stolen Raptor data and 33% stolen F-35 data) and the J-31 (reverse ratio)

I wonder, Tyler, after reading an article on the F-16XL, if something like that would work for the F-35. Re-design the air-frame in fifteen or so years for each service. The cranked arrow would look especially pretty lined up with the leading edge on the intake, and would work wonders for the Air Force version. The…

Well, they are designed to be comfortable for sitting in a flight seat for hours on end.

Who gives a shit if there is risk? Again if they are doing their job and saving lives, why does it matter? Air Force pilots aren’t dog-fighting anymore. Nobody today would win a medal if judged by the risk levels of a peer state conflict. Does that mean that none of them deserve a medal?

When is the the last time a fighter pilot got shot down? Or a bomber pilot? Lets face it, the Air Force has historically been a very low risk service to be involved in. An American service member is more likely to die from friendly fire from CAS than anyone behind a cockpit.

Until we development instantaneous and completely secure communications (quantum entanglement or something fancy), a drone will be sluggish to control and vulnerable to hacking.

Good! Now if only he could smack down the F-35, KC-46 and V-22 and get them to fix those designs.

How is it terribly payload-limited? It can carry 20,000 pounds internally. That blows the Black Hawk out of the water, and the Osprey also has a greater range than any helicopter that can carry more than that.

Well, either we need an aerodyne, a coaxial gunship with centerline thrust, or a tilt-rotor. Using escorts that travel at half the crusing speed of what they are supposed to protect is stupid.