B-2 Bombers to Korea

[Texas Star]

I see in the news that the US has dispatched two B-2 bombers to South Korea, in anticipation of an attack by the north.

What is the app. range of the B-2? Wouldn't these be better based in Japan or elsewhere, beyond likely hit range of N. Korean aircraft and missles? They'd at least have more time to launch if they were warned of incoming missles.

And if Kim Jung Whatisname fires missles at the US west coast, what, in a worst case scenario, is the likely fallout damage to the middle and eastern parts of the USA?

I'm very afraid that this narcisstic dictator may decide that we're so busy in Afghanistan that we can't go to war with him in the absence of a draft. He is probably trying to save "face" in Oriental terms by acting like a big man.

How likely do you think war is between the USA and North Korea? Keep it non-political, although I realize that who is in power here will affect Kim's actions.

I think this may become really serious quite suddenly. Kim has broken off communications with S. Korea, a bad sign.

 

[rayb]

Nothing new from N Korea.
They've been doing this since the 1950's, after the Russians turned them loose and the Chinese provided support to them. See "This Kind of War" by T R Fehrenbach for how the Russians negotiated in the 1940's, prior to the Korean War.
There's nothing new in the NK behavior.
rayb

 

[Hillbilly77]

If I said what I really thought, people would call me a barbarian.

 

[brucev]

To borrow a phrase from Shakespeare, "Much ado about nothing." Further, why should the U.S. become involved in such a dust-up? Neither nk or South Korea are of any significance to the U.S. If nk wants to play army, let the U.N. put on it's little blue hat and play policeman.

 

[M29since14]

I have no idea about the tactics of deploying those rather expensive playthings, but I believe range these days is simply a matter of how many times you care to refuel. I doubt the gentleman over there has any serious intentions. He can't be that dumb, can he?

My guess is the B2 deployment is just a little old-fashioned gunboat diplomacy, probably a waste of time and money, but hopefully we'll not know for sure.

B2s... I don't understand why we have them in the first place. There has to be more efficient ways to deliver ordnance than those crazy things. Were they just another case of a weapon program that was obsolete by the time they got to producing them and it never got shut down, or what?

 

[Memphis]

Don't quote me on it but I have heard that all B-2's are based at one single location (Missouri) and depart and return to that one area no matter where they are dispatched to. I thought that strange and wouldn't mind being corrected at all. Can you imagine leaving missouri, bound for saudi arabia and doing your business and heading back to missouri. Obviously they refuel in mid-air.
Anybody here know if this is true??

Thanks, Roger

 

[REM 3200]

I see in the news that the US has dispatched two B-2 bombers to South Korea, in anticipation of an attack by the north.

What is the app. range of the B-2? Wouldn't these be better based in Japan or elsewhere, beyond likely hit range of N. Korean aircraft and missles? They'd at least have more time to launch if they were warned of incoming missles.

And if Kim Jung Whatisname fires missles at the US west coast, what, in a worst case scenario, is the likely fallout damage to the middle and eastern parts of the USA?

I'm very afraid that this narcisstic dictator may decide that we're so busy in Afghanistan that we can't go to war with him in the absence of a draft. He is probably trying to save "face" in Oriental terms by acting like a big man.

How likely do you think war is between the USA and North Korea? Keep it non-political, although I realize that who is in power here will affect Kim's actions.

I think this may become really serious quite suddenly. Kim has broken off communications with S. Korea, a bad sign.

They ARE based in the USA. They flew out of Whitman AFB, MO, dropped their bombs during a training exercise in South Korea, and flew home to Whitman AFB. All non-stop.

 

[kwselke]

As Rem stated most B-2 missions are flown out of Whitman AFB in MO. The US does have forward bases capable of handling B-2s in Diego Garcia, Guam, and the UK. Air refueling gives the planes unlimited range.

 

[Texas Star]

We have B-2's because they are very stealthy and can deliver a load of bombs where needed.

I believe in the stealth concept, but if they are spotted by enemy fighters in daylight, do they carry AA missles and guns?

I suspect that missle-firing submarines are also being sent near Korea.

Someone asked why the US should care if both Koreas fight. We have treaties that call for us to support the south.

In the 1950-1953 war, we had the UK, South Africa, Australia, Turkey, and maybe other allies. I wonder how many would help today.

 

[perrazi]

think most anyone who does a lot of business with south korea would be more than a little interested. and guys, the afb is whiteman not whitman.these aircraft don't fly in the daylight either and they have no guns or missiles that i know of . they do have electronic means of defense that hasn't been talked about in the press.

 

[Jyezahn]

Further, why should the U.S. become involved in such a dust-up? Neither nk or South Korea are of any significance to the U.S. If nk wants to play army, let the U.N. put on it's little blue hat and play policeman.

Because we have an agreement to help protect South Korea. Not to mention China will not allow KJU to go full bore.

Mutual Defense Treaty

 

[carpriver]

Boy that's a lot of questions. I am not a expert or part of the DODs strategic planning. The B-2 could be a show of force by the US to show it's support for the south. The B-2 if needed will have a shorted response time to it's target from South Korea. You can believe the skies are being watched for North Korean air craft and missiles. Any nuclear attack on the west coast will have an impact on the rest of the country because the radioactive fallout will be carried a crossed the country by the prevailing winds. The yield of the bomb will determine the amount of radiation emitted. Ground zero will be a waste land any where from a mile to 5 miles again depending on the yield and if it is a ground or air burst. There will be no one alive within ground zero. These alive out about 10 or so miles will die within days from radiation and those beyond that radius will be burned and develop radiation sickness and die over the coming months. The people down wind will be exposed to radiation and could develop radiation sickness depending on the amount of time exposed. I am basing this on information I learned 40+ years ago.

Many people have forgotten the Cold War and the fear of Nuclear War and the destruction it can have on human beings and the world. One thing I learned in my time in the Air Force and the Strategic Air Command ( the USA nuclear deterrent) was there are no winners in a nuclear war and there will be few survivors. The world would are a waste land devoid of life.

I remember growing up in the 1950s and 60s and families building fallout shelters in there basement or there back yards and stocking them with food for a 2-3 month stay underground in the event of a nuclear war. For a kid it was scary. We were trained to believe that a war with the soviet union could begin at any time.

 

[Texas Star]

think most anyone who does a lot of business with south korea would be more than a little interested. and guys, the afb is whiteman not whitman.these aircraft don't fly in the daylight either and they have no guns or missiles that i know of . they do have electronic means of defense that hasn't been talked about in the press.

You mean they transmit reality shows that bore enemy pilots senseless or distract with starlets in bikinis having swim races?

I'd still like to see cannon in at least the tail. I couldn't believe it when Phantoms were armed with just missles! Thankfully, they added a cannon.

When Stephen Coonts was a naval aviator instead of a novelist, he badly wanted a gun on his Intruder.

 

[kwselke]

They have little buddies called F-22 Raptors that will keep the enemies off their 6:00. They do not have tails, so there is no place for a tail gun. I saw one once and it was an amazing sight.

 

[feralmerril]

I dont know what the thinking is on keeping just one main base for the B-2 to fly out and return from world wide missions is as obvisely they should be able to land almost anywhere. I done my career where they were built at palmdale and watched them fly in and out. Its eerie to watch them fly.
We pay many people that are suppose to be smart to figure these things out and I aint one of them. Its odd that we spend uncountable trillions of dollars on building these things and yet try to deal and appease with just one or a few people with ignorant childlike devilish minds that may attempt to annilate the world.

 

[gregintenn]

I'm not sure why we can't just bomb that forsaken place until South Korea is an island. That would end the problem there, as well as get the attention of several middle eastern countries of which we are going to shortly be pressed into dealing with also.

 

[Jyezahn]

I dont know what the thinking is on keeping just one main base for the B-2 to fly out and return from world wide missions is as obvisely they should be able to land almost anywhere. I done my career where they were built at palmdale and watched them fly in and out. Its eerie to watch them fly.
We pay many people that are suppose to be smart to figure these things out and I aint one of them. Its odd that we spend uncountable trillions of dollars on building these things and yet try to deal and appease with just one or a few people with ignorant childlike devilish minds that may attempt to annilate the world.

It's because they're such a specialized aircraft. Their stand alone (on the books) range is 6,000 nm. Obviously, with mid-air refueling, it's unlimited. But for maintenance and programming, it's logistically better to have them fly out of one place to meet their global mission.

 

[bettis1]

Texas Star,

Classic "Saber Rattling" at its best! I'm glad, and a bit surprised, that someone in the US Military still understands its usefulness when dealing with "tinhorn" countries.

(Had a little trouble initially in understanding just who you were referring to with the "Narcissistic Dictator" comment but I think I figured it out)

Bob

 

[wbraswell]

NK is just looking for attention, like any other spoiled brat. They probably want to be bribed by food, since they are starving. (Except for Kim!)

 

[dougb1946]

You suppose somewhere a North Korean radar watcher is trying to explain "Stealth" technology to a superior. And the neat thing is, now all we have to do is say we flew them, dropped bombs on a target range and took photos of NK defenses.