BEYOND THE "BOMBER"

the threat of LRSS employment. ICBMs launched from North America against such powers would have
to overfly Russia. Permission for this could easily be refused, or take too long to arrive, thus negating
the military purpose of the attack. The launch of an ICBM or SLBM risks inadvertently precipitating a
nuclear crisis with other nuclear powers that may misinterpret American intent. Ballistic missiles are not
well-suited to attacks on mobile targets, due to time-of-flight issues, and of course, they cannot be recalled
once launched.
Stealthy LRSS aircraft have none of the drawbacks of ballistic missiles. Their use against lesser nuclear
powers or non-state actors does not require permission from, or risk confrontation with, other nuclear
powers. Such bombers are highly capable of finding and attacking mobile targets because they can persist
in defended airspace with a combined package of sensors and weapons. Their crews can check the validity
of the target in the immediate moments before weapons delivery and can adjust the aimpoint if necessary
based on data acquired from on-board sensors. The crews can conduct a battle damage assessment and
then an immediate follow-on attack, if required. LRSS airplanes can effectively attack hardened and deeply
buried targets like command centers, nuclear production facilities, and nuclear storage sites. Finally, LRSS
aircraft can be recalled at any moment, and their weapons remain under strict human control until the
moment of release near the target. This preserves the option to de-escalate for the longest possible time.
Stealthy LRSS airplanes thus represent a highly credible deterrent against lesser nuclear powers. If such
powers employed weapons of mass destruction against American forces or allies, and the United States had
to retaliate in kind and eliminate the threat, the stealthy LRSS would be the delivery system of choice. 104
Production of the LRSS aircraft is essential to preserve the continued viability of America’s nuclear deterrent
in the post-Cold War era. They are highly survivable, reliable, responsive, and credible delivery systems.
They are the system that best lends itself to political signaling during a crisis. They can deter adversaries of
all sizes and technological sophistication. They are usable in every scenario across the spectrum of conflict.
In the event that the United States needs to employ nuclear weapons against a rogue state or non-state
actor, stealthy LRSS aircraft are the best system to do so.
104 Barry D. Watts, The Case for Long-Range Strike: 21 st Century Scenarios (Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, 2008), pp. 37-46.
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