Jimlad, I am not arguing against carriers. Just the use of false and spurious arguments being made for them. it does the case no good when they are disproved.
As in your latest answer.
A carrier may well be able to do over 30 knots. But to deploy a full carrier group, including escorts, replenishment and other vessels which are not nuclear powered, takes substantially longer.
The case of deploying a FJ squadron is spurious to the case in discussion, which was about heavy bombers. Please leave your aunt sally's at home.
The cost of the price of the original B-2 aircraft were inflated by adding in all R & D costs. The actual unit cost is more representively shown by the price being offered per unit for additional aircraft of around $500-600 million each. Which sounds expensive untill you compare it with the 747-400, coming off a continuous production with amortized costs, which is over $200 million apiece. And the F-22 which is escalating through $190 million apiece - before the latest projected costs.
Regardless, I was making the case for a bomber force - not a particular bomber.
Last edited by ORAC; 27th May 2002 at 19:36.