Expressing cautious optimism that Congress will finally acquiesce to USAF retiring the B-52s it wants to let go of, Air Force Secretary Wynne said Monday at the AFA conference in Washington, “Even the most ardent supporters of the B-52 agree that the real answer” to a healthy long-range strike requirement “is a system beyond” the current fleet. He said “support in Congress is gaining” for retiring a good portion of the B-52 fleet.
The Air Force is launching an effort to develop a new stand-off missile with a range of 1,000 nautical miles, or 1,150 miles, that would eventually be used for both air-to-air and air-to-surface missions.