Having recently reversed himself on the bomber and approved Air Force plans to develop a new long-range strike aircraft, the defense secretary needs to also revisit his decision on F-22.
So with their aging fleet of barely 160 long-range bombers facing a growing array of operational challenges, Air Force leaders have reluctantly come to the conclusion that they need to buy a new bomber.
Artillery was gradually replaced by tactical missiles in the defensive role, but the Air Force was too busy building a fleet of long-range bombers and supersonic fighters to be bothered with ground-based air defenses, while Army troops had a clear need for such defenses.
Policymakers knew America needed its own force of long-range missiles to deter a Russian attack, but deterrence was a new idea so they also wanted to have the protection provided by real defenses.