The US and its Allies are dependent on sea lanes for both economic livelihood and military presence. Any interruption of maritime shipping lanes or interference with the movement of naval forces could have the gravest consequences. In periods of tension or active conflict, the Soviet Navy could threaten our sea lines of communication. As a result, the US must have the capability to assess and counter any maritime threat with appropriate and timely forces in any part of the globe, whether on the seas or in coastal areas. Our US naval sea-going forces are finite; they cannot stand nearby and protect every part of the free world at a given instance. The B-lB Long Range Combat Aircraft (LRCA), a multi-role bomber, has a great potential to complement our US naval forces with additional firepower -- a force multiplier which could project power rapidly into any conflict arena. The gamut of maritime roles and missions that a bomber could augment include sea surveillance, aerial mine-laying, anti-ship warfare and inland power projection. A LRCA employed on station in a matter of hours after a theater commander directs the execution of a maritime support role complements our naval forces through a rapid, incisive response to a conflict situation. The LRCA could sustain such a firepower response until later arriving US warships weapons can be brought to bear in the conflict.
B-1B Maritime Support Capability
1982
3 pages
Report
No indication
English
Aircraft , Military Operations, Strategy, & Tactics , Military capabilities , Bomber aircraft , Ocean surveillance , Coastal regions , Military forces(Foreign) , Navy , Airborne , Conflict , Power , Firepower , Naval vessels(Combatant) , Antiship warfare , Lrca(Long-range combat aircraft). b-1b aircraft