Developing strategic weaponry and the political process. The B1-B bomber: From drawing board to flight

The main argument of this dissertation is that the introduction of a new strategic weapon is as much a political process as a management process.; For two decades the United States Air Force had been planning, dreaming, and lobbying for a new manned bomber. In the early 1970s the dream neared reality as the Congress authorized construction of the B-1. However, President Jimmy Carter's emphasis was on arms reduction and detente and he cancelled the bomber. Convinced the decision was unwise, some members of his administration, uniformed and civilian appointees alike, worked assiduously to fund studies that would someday enhance the capabilities of a new manned bomber. Ronald Reagan succeeded Carter in the White House, with a completely different agenda. The Cold War showed no signs of easing. An immediate goal was to strengthen the United States Strategic Forces. The B-1 bomber was restarted, designated the B1-B to differentiate it from the Carter cancellation. As Secretary of the Air Force, the author was responsible for the decisions necessary for the development of the new bomber from drawings to delivery to the Air Fleet.; The purpose of this study is to delineate the political and operational influences impacting the evolution of a strategic weapon considered vital by the Air Force to compete militarily in the Cold War. Early chapters describe trends in warfare illustrating a growing military dependence upon a capability for enemy destruction through the use of bombs. The influence of individual Presidents and Congress in furthering or retarding the Air Force's quest for a new manned bomber over a 20 year period, when Cold War tensions were escalating, is described in successive chapters. Near the conclusion of this study, a chapter is dedicated to the strategic warfare options and political considerations that led to the decision to build the B1-B bomber. The conclusion discusses the complex interactions that must be understood and deftly handled, as well as the dynamics of the political and administrative processes involved in the development of strategic weaponry designed to protect our nation's interests.