As Air Force leaders explained it at the time, it was not that they did not want more B-2s or did not recognize their value. It is presumed that a similar logic helps explain why the Air Force has deferred the replacement of its current bombers until 2037. Obviously, there is a limit to what budgets can cover, and it is necessary to set priorities. The problem is that topline culture gets the order of things backward. It leads us to think first about affordability, then priorities, and then essentially back into the requirements.
Proposals abound on what to do with it.
This presents an opportunity for the nation to look again at where the underfunded defense budget is taking us-and also a chance to deprogram ourselves from the ruinous cult of the topline. Copyright by Air Force Association.