Unfortunately the Harrier-mafia and their ilk wouldn't stand for a proper strategic bomber being upgraded from the 1960s level of self-protection to something fit for the 21st Century - not an expensive maintenance programme.
But the bridge-plinking job of GW1 could have been achieved with 1 Vulcan, 9 x LGB plus TIALD per sortie, rather than 2 VC10s, 3 Tornados and I Buccaneer to do the same thing.....