When setting requirements for a next-generation bomber, USAF should emphasize its conventional role, with the nuclear mission a distant second place. That’s the view of Barry Blechman, a member of DOD’s Defense Policy Board and president of DFI International. Blechman told the National Defense University Foundation today that strikes against terrorists and rogue states call for conventional capabilities, not nuclear ones. High costs of development and maintaining nuclear weapons are a drawback, he said. Blechman added that he does not consider it consider it risky to de-emphasize the nuclear role, because USAF seemingly finds its B-52s and a few nuclear-capable B-2 bombers sufficient for the task.
The Air Force Association's Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies will host USAFA Superintendent Lt. Gen. Richard M. Clark on an installment of its “Aerospace Nation” series. Clark will share his insights into how the Academy is preparing cadets to face today's global challenges, the implications of the creation of the…