B2 Crashes in Guam

[TSawyer2112]

In a first, $1.2 billion stealth crashes (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080223/ap_on_re_us/b2_crash;_ylt=ArqBjC2ocq.ig651VzsdJ8Cs0NUE)
HAGATNA, Guam - A B-2 stealth bomber plunged to the ground shortly after taking off from an air base in Guam on Saturday, the first time one crashed, but both pilots ejected safely, Air Force officials said.

The aircraft was taking off with three others on their last flight out of Guam after a four-month deployment, part of a continuous U.S. bomber presence in the western Pacific. After the crash, the other three bombers were being kept on Guam, said Maj. Eric Hilliard at Hickham Air Force Base in Hawaii.

At least one B-2 bomber had taken off safely from Andersen Air Force Base but was brought back when another aircraft plunged to the ground.

There were no injuries on the ground or damage to buildings, and no munitions were on board. Each B-2 bomber costs about $1.2 billion to build.

Thick, black smoke could be seen billowing from the wreckage at Andersen, said Jeanne Ward, a resident in the northern village of Yigo who was on the base visiting her husband. The good news: Everyone made it out and it sounds like it happened in a relatively controlled environment from a security standpoint.

I find the AP headline somewhat cynical in that they mention the cost when they could of mentioned survivors in the headline. To the MSM and other libs, government is only costly when it involves the military.

[DeclinetoState]

Each B-2 bomber costs about $1.2 billion to build.That's a hell of a lot money to let go up in smoke. Almost like Hillary's campaign.

[ThomasMore]

The good news: Everyone made it out and it sounds like it happened in a relatively controlled environment from a security standpoint.

To the MSM and other libs, government is only costly when it involves the military.

I'm glad that everyone got out OK.

I believe you are correct about the environment being relatively controlled. Guam is U.S. Territory, and for an island with less than 200,000 people, it is bristling with military facilities (Andersen Air Force Base, Navy Base Guam, Army Task Force Guam, Guam Army National Guard, U.S. Coast Guard 14th District).

Sharp observation about liberals and the costs of government.

[Un Con Troll Able]

The B-2 is a wonderfully advanced machine, but I've always questioned spending $1.2 billion for a single copy of any military aircraft. And I question how effective they can be considering the mission capability degradation the entire fleet suffers as a result of the loss of even one aircraft (there are now only 19 of them).

Even the latest variants of the B-52 are antiquated by comparison with the B-2, but each one costs less than five percent of a B-2. And there's something to be said for the sheer firepower (and terror) inflicted upon the enemy by sending in a few dozen B-52s and simply dropping a load of dumb munitions that lays waste to entire swaths of enemy territory.

Then, again, we have saddled ourselves with a touchy-feely warfighting mentality where pinpoint accuracy is paramount for preserving our reputation as civilized warriors. Granted, there are some very real tactical and strategic advantages to utilizing high accuracy weapons. But sometimes you just want the satisfaction of saying to your enemies: "You're f**cked. Now die--all of you."

[TSawyer2112]

Even the latest variants of the B-52 are antiquated by comparison with the B-2, but each one costs less than five percent of a B-2. And there's something to be said for the sheer firepower (and terror) inflicted upon the enemy by sending in a few dozen B-52s and simply dropping a load of dumb munitions that lays waste to entire swaths of enemy territory. In the war on terror against forces with relatively low-tech assets, it becomes easy to forget about the possibility of future conflict with Russia and China. While the Buff has been a workhorse for many years, It's not the plane I want to have to count on against the air defenses of these two countries or their allies (i.e. Iran). I assume and would certainly hope that even now we are working on a replacement for the B-2.

[Un Con Troll Able]

Any future conflict against Russia or China would be waged with nuclear weapons, not conventional ones. And I have my doubts about the effectiveness of a fleet of 19 B-2s being sent into nations that have a colossal warfighting infrastructure like that of China or Russia. And it is inevitable that we would lose at least some of the planes -- at a terrible cost to the capability of the fleet as a whole.

Imagine if someone were able to nail a few of them on the ground in a terrorist attack.

[ThomasMore]

I don't think the original plan was to have only 20 B-2s. As I recall, the original plan was for a minimum of 50 with growth potential.

The higher-than-planned cost of the aircraft, along with the anti-military wing of Congress, cut the number down to 20. Many of the anti-military representatives had hoped that by cutting the number to 20, it would kill the program. Reagan didn't bite.

Incidentally, the unit cost would have dropped as more B-2s were built. Much of the extreme cost is due to research and development, which is a fleet cost and not a per-airplane cost. Tooling, maintenance and replacement parts costs would have gone down as the number built went up, too.

The airplane is colossally expensive. But it is a technology driver. Hopefully, the next generation replacement for the B-2 will incorporate what we learned from the airplane, and be less expensive.

As a longtime member of the Air Force, Rhino has more knowledge of this end of the business than do I, and he can probably add more detail.

[Neil Peart]

This man crashed in Guam?

http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/pictures/b/bullbuchanan/10.jpg

[Un Con Troll Able]

As a longtime member of the Air Force, Rhino has more knowledge of this end of the business than do I, and he can probably add more detail.

Well, I admit that I never served in a B-2 unit during my career in the Air Force, but regardless of whether they intended to end up with only 20 planes, in the end they did.

I think they originally wanted 90 planes.

Even that number seems a tad wanting.

[The_Sonarman]

Seems like this, along with other military procurement projects, is an old story.

1. Design and build the prototype.

2. Price the production run, send it through Congress for approval.

3. Congress cuts your initial production run number of units to build.... at same time hijacking the funds for vote buying expenditures.

4. Congress reevaluates and (usually) cuts your production run in year 2, 3, 4, etcetera as production goes forward..... once again hijacking the funds for vote buying expenditures.

Hence, you never get the planned fleet numbers, yet we have "bridges to nowhere" costing 1/4 billion dollars, connecting a mere 70 Alaskan's to the mainland..... who shouldn't have been living on an island in the first place if they don't have boats to run back to the mainland.

[Incident_command]

I've read the B2 often has three crew members in a rotation and only two hot seats. Hope the article is accurate and it was only a two man crew on this flight.

[DesertFox]

Any future conflict against Russia or China would be waged with nuclear weapons, not conventional ones. Not necessarily.

[ThomasMore]

Hence, you never get the planned fleet numbers, yet we have "bridges to nowhere" costing 1/4 billion dollars, connecting a mere 70 Alaskans to the mainland..... who shouldn't have been living on an island in the first place if they don't have boats to run back to the mainland.

Twice as frustrating when it is Republicans (like Ted Stevens (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravina_Island_Bridge)) who do it to you.