America's penetrating long-range strike force today consists of 20 stealth B-2s-the rest of the bomber force and all of the other services are limited to launching long-range strikes from outside contested areas during a conflict with a peer adversary. This reality invites China and Russia to field even longer-range air defenses that would drive USAF's nonstealth bombers and other aircraft further out in the battlespace. This in turn would require the Air Force to invest in new standoff weapons with even greater ranges and higher price points. Continued reliance on too much standoff strike capacity would create opportunities for peer competitors to invest in capabilities that would impose costs on the United States.
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