Carl, disagree again. The Saturn 5 is very simple and the costs to develop it pale compared to Aircraft even in adjusted dollars. You can see the actual booster at the Redstone Arsenal at the Huntsville,Al. Space museum. They may still have the prototype at Kennedy Space Center (not sure) but trips to both places are well worth it.

When MIRV technology became available the Saturn 5 would have the ability to hit multiple targets in parallel. Penetration strikes are often multiple hits on the same target...one to break through and one to achieve the final effect on the target...agin missiles can do this very well.

Again their is no need for the delivery system to penetrate hostile air space...so why have a plane to do it? Only the warhead needs to get there.

Because missiles travel so fast there's know need to launch until it is the final option.....Air Planes flying around are far more provocative then missiles for this reason. also our enemies know how cheap and how much better missiles are which is why they are developing their missile technologies instead of wasting their money on black airplanes.

Bombing in any form is an Artillery Strike the plane makes it more complicated and longer to respond unless it on station as opposed to have a missile battery on call by the ground force commander who can hit what he wants to hit in minutes with missile artillery.

Having said this I think the Air Forces main missions should be constant ISR probably with satellites more than anything (not sure just a thought) and leave the bombing to us...Army. A second priority mission is Strategic Airlift get the Army to the AO.

Third and a big one the Air Force is good at coming up war games and Strategic Thinking materials... not a real jazzy job but vital to our national security.

And finally one that is also vitally important is the exploitation of Space.

PS if you ever get to Alabama we will go to Huntsville and see some Army Airpower....some good eatin places up there to.