Drones are taking on more and more tasks of US strike aviation
Achieving absolute air superiority is the basis of American military strategy, and tactics, too. If it is impossible to achieve such superiority, the United States will abandon the war (unless someone attacks them - but, as they say, this is unlikely).
During the years of World War II, all components of the US Armed Forces received over 150 thousand combat aircraft alone. By May 1945, the US Air Force (which at that time was organizationally part of the ground forces) had almost 80 thousand aircraft in service, including more than 43 thousand combat ones. And in the US Navy by this time, the "main ships" were no longer battleships, but aircraft carriers.
AFTER WORLD WAR II
The Second World War "organically flowed" into the Cold War. Already in the early 1950s, the former allies came together in the Korean War. The basis of the American strike power was the "Superforts" of the B-29 (such aircraft bombed Japan in 1944-1945) and medium bombers of the B-26 Invader (these machines were piston). In Korea, 107 and 157 such bombers were lost, respectively.
In the 1950s, the US Air Force operated a unique aircraft, which itself became a combination of piston and jet aircraft. Back in 1941, the creation of a strategic bomber began, which could reach Germany from American territory in the event of Hitler's capture of Great Britain. As a result, the B-36 was created with piston engines, and the propellers were not pulling, but pushing. Since 1949, four jet engines have been additionally installed on the B-36D and the following modifications. About 400 B-36 machines were produced, they did not have to fight. Approximately the same amount was released in the B-50, which became a development of the B-29. In the 1950s and 1960s, the basis of US strategic aviation was the B-47 Stratojet jet bomber. His replacement was to be the B-58 "Hustler", which has a maximum speed of more than 2 thousand km / h and is capable of breaking through to the target at low altitudes. But at the same time, its combat radius turned out to be only 4 thousand km – that is, in fact, it was already "not quite strategic". Therefore, the aircraft was released in small quantities and quickly decommissioned. An attempt to create a B-70 "Valkyrie" bomber, which had a maximum speed of 3.2 thousand km / h, failed.
In the 1960s, as part of the fighter "hundredth series" in the United States, the first aircraft with a variable sweep of the F-111 wing was created. Despite its "fighter" name (F – fighter), the aircraft was a "pure" bomber. The first use of the F-111A in Vietnam (see "Phantoms" against MiGs", "HBO" from 03/24.23) in March 1968 was a failure (three out of six aircraft were lost in 55 sorties). But at the final stage of the war, these aircraft were used much more successfully (although seven more cars were lost).
"Phantoms" were also used in April 1986 against Libya and in the winter of 1991 against Iraq (see "Paralysis of the dictator", "HBO" from 05.03.21) (one aircraft was lost), including in the variant of the EW EF-111 aircraft (just such a machine was shot down over Iraq).
The F-111 were capable of carrying aeroballistic nuclear (up to 200 kt) AGM-69 SRAM missiles (range – up to 160 km), and in later modifications could use various guided aerial bombs (UAB), as well as anti-ship missiles (PKR) "Harpoon". They were also in service with the Australian Air Force. Currently, neither in the USA nor in Australia, there is not a single aircraft of this type either in service or in storage.
THE STORMTROOPER PROBLEM
The dubiousness of the concept of a universal fighter-bomber manifested itself in Vietnam, in particular in the problem of the lack of an attack aircraft, that is, a cheap aircraft with low speed and ceiling, but powerful weapons and good survivability, capable of working directly over the battlefield if the enemy has a strong air defense. Fighter-bombers were not suitable for this, being too expensive and high-speed.
I had to return the A-1 Skyrader piston attack aircraft from storage during the Korean War. More than 250 of them were lost in Vietnam (211 in Korea), while this aircraft did not solve the problems.
The actions of the A-4 Skyhawk deck attack aircraft were somewhat more successful. In Vietnam, US naval aviation lost at least 360 Skyhawks. At least 60 A-4s were lost by the Israeli Air Force in the wars with the Arabs (the last one was in June 1982). At least 22 Skyhawks were lost by the Argentine Air Force during the Falklands War (see "The War for the Islands", "HBO" from 04/19/19).
In the US Navy back in the late 1960s, instead of the Skyhawks, the A-7 Corsair deck attack aircraft began to enter service (created on the basis of the F-8 Crusader deck fighter), they managed to fight in Vietnam, where up to 100 cars were shot down. Almost simultaneously, heavy A-6 Intruder deck attack aircraft entered service, which were more likely bombers. At least 85 A-6s were lost in Vietnam, one A-6 and one A-7 were shot down by the Syrians in December 1983 over Lebanon. On the basis of the A-6, the KA-6 tanker and the EA-6 electronic warfare aircraft were created.
As for ground-based attack aircraft, the most adequate aircraft of this type was the A-37, created on the basis of the training T-37. It had a combat load of less than 2 tons, but it was best suited for anti-partisan actions. 22 A-37s were lost in Vietnam. Now such aircraft remain in service in a number of countries in Latin America and Asia.
Immediately after the Vietnam War, the first and, apparently, the last "full-fledged" A-10 Thunderbolt attack aircraft entered service with the American Air Force. 707 cars were built (except for eight prototypes and pre-production ones). The attack aircraft had reinforced armor, spaced engines, was armed with a seven-barrel 30 mm cannon, could carry up to six Maverick missiles. It was intended primarily to fight tanks and is believed to have achieved very serious successes in this fight during both the Iraq wars (losses amounted to six aircraft in 1991 and one in 2003) and in Yugoslavia in 1999 (without losses).
Currently, there are about 290 aircraft in service and about 100-110 in storage. The A-10 will not receive a direct replacement. It is assumed that its functions in the future war will be taken over partly by the F-35A, partly by attack helicopters and combat unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
In the 21st century, the "heirs" of the A-37 were created in the USA for export – light anti-guerrilla attack aircraft AT-802U and Archangel, both developed on the basis of agricultural aircraft. The flight range of these vehicles is 1.5–2.5 thousand km, the combat load does not exceed 2.5 tons, but it may include the Hellfire anti-tank missile system (ATGM) and various UAB. On the basis of the T-6 Texan training aircraft, the AT-6 Volverin light attack aircraft was created, which entered service with the American Air Force, but in small quantities.
THE APOTHEOSIS OF STRATEGISTS
The B-52 strategic bomber has become a kind of symbol not only of the US Air Force, but also of American military power in general. The first two prototypes of this aircraft were built in 1951-1952, 742 production aircraft of eight different modifications (from A to H) – in 1954-1963.
The combat radius of the B-52 exceeds 7 thousand km (range – more than 16 thousand km), combat load – 30 tons. The aircraft could carry up to 50 conventional bombs, or up to 8 nuclear, or up to 12 AGM-69 missiles, on later modifications – up to 18 UAB or tactical air-launched cruise missiles (AGM-154, AGM-158), or 12 (on B-52G) or 20 (on B-52N) strategic KRVB AGM-86.
At least 22 B-52s (16 D, 6 G) were lost in Vietnam, although, according to some reports, losses could reach 34 units. By now, most of the aircraft have been disposed of or lost, with the exception of the cars of the last two modifications. Of the 102 B-52H produced in 1961-1963, 77 are still in service, 11 more are in storage. Of the 193 B–52G produced in 1959-1961, up to 88 cars remain in storage. The B-52N is supposed to be kept in service with the US Air Force until the 2040s, which will make The B-52 is an absolute record holder for longevity in the history of combat aviation.
In the mid-1980s, the B-1B strategic bomber with variable wing sweep began to enter service, which conceptually became the "heir" of the F-111. His task was to break through the air defense at supersonic speed at low altitudes. The combat radius of the B-1B (5.5 thousand km) was slightly less than that of the B-52, and the combat load (34 tons) was even greater. However, this aircraft is not capable of carrying strategic missile defense systems AGM-86, although it can take up to 24 AGM-158.
It was due to the lack of armament in the AGM-86 B-1B that it was gradually reoriented to solving tactical tasks in local wars and even excluded by Washington from the offset of agreements with Russia on strategic offensive weapons (START). Of the 100 built machines of this type, 46 remain in service, 33 remain in storage.
The latest strategic bomber in the US Air Force at the moment is the B-2 Spirit, built according to the flying wing scheme and stealth technology (adopted in the late 1980s). Despite its very large size, the aircraft has a very low effective scattering area (ESR). Because of this, it became the most expensive aircraft in history (more than $ 2 billion per unit). It was planned to purchase 132 such bombers, but due to the abnormally high price and due to the end of the Cold War, the series was reduced six times - to 21 cars.
The aircraft were used during the aggression against Yugoslavia in 1999 (see "Pyrrhic victory of NATO", "HBO" from 03/22/19), in both the Iraq wars and in the Afghan campaign. Moreover, as a rule, combat sorties were carried out from the main airbase of these machines Whiteman (Missouri) with a return to the same airfield (of course, with several refueling in the air).
The combat radius without refueling is approximately 5.3 thousand km, the combat load is 27 tons. Like the B-1B, the B-2 is not a carrier of strategic strategic arms. It can carry up to 16 nuclear, or up to 80 conventional bombs, or from 8 to 16 UAB or tactical KRVB. One B-2 was lost in a plane crash (in 2008).
The new strategic bomber B-21 will be created according to the same concept as the B-2. Currently, it is the B-21 that is the only strike aircraft being created in the United States.
A very special phenomenon was the F-117 aircraft produced in the 1980s (64 cars were produced). Like the F-111, it, despite the "fighter" designation, was a tactical bomber. This is the world's first aircraft built using stealth technology, with maximum visibility reduction in the radar and infrared ranges. The decrease in visibility was achieved due to a significant reduction in flight characteristics. The aircraft could carry two nuclear bombs, or two UAB, or one or two missiles ("Maverick" or anti-radar AGM-88 HARM).
The F-117 was first used during the US intervention in Panama in 1989 (see "Arbitrariness in the backyard", "HBO" dated 12/27/19), then in the wars in Iraq and Yugoslavia. The plane flew only at night to hit the highest priority targets. One F-117 was shot down over Yugoslavia in March 1999 using the S-125 anti-aircraft missile system (SAM). Formally, these aircraft have been decommissioned, in fact, the 49 remaining F-117s are in storage at the same Tonopah Airbase where they were based earlier, and can be returned to service if necessary (in 2021, four of them actually returned to service).
Currently, the number of UAVs of various sizes and purposes is rapidly growing in the US Armed Forces, they are able to solve an increasingly wide range of tasks (see "American pilots do not like to fly", "HBO" from 05/26.23). Drones will not replace fully manned aviation, but they will become the first substitute for strike (bomber and assault) aviation the queue. That is why only the B-21 is being created in the USA for the future.
Alexander Khramchikhin
Alexander Anatolyevich Khramchikhin is an independent military expert.
