| OCR Text |
Show 10 Hilltop Times y COMMENTS July 12, 1991 by Norm Dicks U S. House of Representatives dramatic success of the aircraft in the Persian Gulf particularly in the early days, demonstrated to the world (as well as to Saddam Hussein) the awesome and revolug tionary capability of the aircraft. The swooped into Baghdad undetected by the Iraqi air defenses, dropped bombs onto commudeadly precision-guidenications bunkers, radar stations and antiaircraft missiles, then returned unscathed to reload and fly again. More than any other single factor, the new stealth technology made the battle against the world's fourth-larges- t standing army a brief encounter. It allowed us to achieve air superiority quickly and decisively, and to save the lives of thousands of American servicemen and women. With stealth technology, moreover, we were able to do more with less. Though the represented only 2 percent of our aircraft assets in the Gulf, they flew against and hit nearly a third of the targets in the first two days, without losing one pilot and without substantial civilian casualties. F-1- 17 The radar-evadin- F-11- 7s d F-11- 7s Doing more with less Herein lies the cost advantage that should be one of the primary lessons learned from the Persian Gulf conflict, and this is a lesson that should be applied to the modernization of our nation's aging fleet of bomber aircraft. During the debate this year over stealth bomber, cost funding for the new will undoubtedly be one of the major factors. But the case of the stealth bomber is, in my judgment, strengthened by the "morning after" analysis of the Persian Gulf War. At a time when budget constraints require us to do more with less, the design and electronic technology of the B-- 2 radar-evadin- g B-- 2 Rugged Boots 133 SAFETY-TO-E B-2- s, F-11- 7s Two for one America gets two If we buy 60 more bombers for the price of one. We will have a bomber that can penetrate Soviet air defenses, thus serving as a vital part of our strategic Triad. As such, it provides the synergistic protection for our submarine force and for our already vulnerable ICBMs. And we also get a bomber that car$1.3 billion. bomber would combine the stealth ries a load of smart conventional bombs The with even more "stealthiness" and survivacapability that made the critical difference We have spent more for us in Iraq with much greater range and bility than the far more payload. It can carry more than 10 than $38 billion thus far for 15 aircraft. If at more than the rate of production is accelerated, we can times the payload of the five times the unrefueled range. That's not a purchase the remaining 60 aircraft for another $28 billion. factor that can be easily dismissed. As former Secretary of Defense Harold Immediate force Brown stated in a recent letter, "We should consider only the remaining cost, because If the scenario had been different if Saddam Hussein had crossed the Iraqi border in the sunk cost is indeed sunk....The remainthose early days of August and September program will be less than ing cost of the the cost of the equivalent delivery capability before coalition forces could be assembled we would have needed immediate force by the next generation of tactical attack airprojection capability. And with the Iraqi air craft, which would require forward bases either on land or on carriers and substantial defense still intact, the only answer would have been an aircraft that can penetrate, deployment time to reach attack distance." To stop the strike and return with low casualty rates. program now would be a bomber like the grave mistake for this program as well as Only a could give us both those capacities. Lt. Gen. for the security of our nation. America needs the capability of a stealth bomber, and Charles Horner, who headed the air camAmerica needs the balance that a second-strikpaign in the Gulf, told the House appropriations subcommittee on defense in April that recallable, invisible, invulnerable, he would have used the in Desert Storm strategic and conventional bomber can give us. In fact, with the cost advantages of this not only because of its enormous capability but "because we would be putting fewer aircraft, America can't afford not to have the to address tomorrow's lives at risk." Saving pilots and aircraft is Saddam Hussein and to protect tomorrow's also a crucial factor that cannot be ignored during the debate over cost. military personnel. In a downsized U.S. military, the is Editor's note: Dicks is a Democratic of exactly the type system we must provide representative from Washington. Used with to our services in the future. With a force of permission. Courtesy Air Force News Service. F-11- STYLES IN B-2- s, 7 B-2- land-base- d B-- 2 F-11- F-11- 7. 7, B-- 2 B-- 2 B-- 2 long-rang- e e, B-- 2 dual-capabl- e B-- 2 B-- 2 1991 XSUZU TROOPER 4x4 K) 5 spd, trans, cloth rear seat, rear Md BoLu I needing far less logistic support and forward protection, American pilots in the 21st century can help continue to deter aggression worldwide. And they can do so in an aircraft that brings them back home safedid from Baghdad. ly, just as the give us the ability to utilize fewer aircraft to accomplish the same mission. And in a shrinking arsenal, this is a system that can play a strategic as well as a significant conventional role. In one Desert Storm operation, an armada of 75 aircraft with a price tag of $6.5 billion (life cycle cost) was unable to destroy an Iraqi nuclear facility. The mission was ultimately accomplished by a force of eight stealth aircraft and two tankers, with a comparable cost of $1.35 billion. Two s could have performed this same mission, launched either from the United States or unrefueled from Saudi Arabia, for an investment of fWu7 1 l-- z k(9i7(B ft 3) & Co. J spare tire cover, wiperwasherdefogger, 4 wheel disc brakes, auto, floor mats, locking front hubs Shoes Since 1907 STOCK TRAINED PERSONNEL QUALIFIED FOR PRESCRIPTION FITTINGS LARGEST SELECTION OF STYLES in Ladies. safety-to- e Cowboy, Athletic. Logger, and Insulated footwear AVAILABLE SIZES: Men's 3 to 16; AAA to Women's 3 to PRICES MUCH LOWER 1 EEEE 1; N, M. W. XW than our competition AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR WHITE SHOE CO. KjROtD premium quality footwear - fa equal or greater quality footwear HATHORN DIVISION, Jtt HAND featuring VISA or Co. Botsy Street Utah 84115 Salt Lake 484-537- 2 DISCOUNT $2626 YOUR COST BUSINESS HOURS Monday Friday 9:C0 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 1 .00 p.m. 1484 South State Phone (801) WAS $15,623 City, Fax (801) 487-19- Tax ljvv & a mo. u License down, 11.5 x 66 OAC 41141 AMERKXM4 EXPRESS Tt W w r 98 UJlJ --" ,,y ? More than 11,000 cases of child abuse were reported in Utah Child abuse is hitting close to home. last year; thousands more went unreported. The type and degree of abuse varies widely, but it usually involves a frustrated parent whose words and actions dramatically affect the child's and outlook on life. If you think a child is being t bused, do something. Call us. or self-estee- a-- v write for a free booklet, 'Twelve Alternatives to Hurting Your Kid." Utah Chapter for the Prevention of Child Abuse 40 East South Temple 350-1- 2 Salt Lake City. Utah (801) 532-340- 84111 4 Also sponsored by KSL Television, the Utah Advertis.rg federation and this newspaper. |
