B-52 "arsenal plane" to fire air to air weapons...more proof of the failure of the F-35.

via Defense Tech.

The Pentagon’s emerging “Arsenal Plane” or “flying bomb-truck” is likely to be a modified, high-tech adaptation of the iconic B-52 bomber designed to fire air-to-air weapons, release swarms of mini-drones and provide additional fire-power to fifth-generation stealth fighters such as the F-35 and F-22, Pentagon officials and analysts said.
Using a B-52, which is already being modernized with new radios and an expanded internal weapons bay, would provide an existing “militarized” platform already engineered with electronic warfare ability and countermeasures designed to thwart enemy air defenses.
“You are using a jet that already has a military capability. The B-52 is a military asset, whereas all the alternatives would have to be created. It has already been weaponized and has less of a radar cross-section compared to a large Air Force cargo plane. It is not a penetrating bomber, but it does have some kind of jamming and countermeasures meant to cope with enemy air defenses. It is wired for a combat mission,” said Richard Aboulafia, Vice President of analysis at the Teal Group, a Virginia-based consultancy.

This is yet another indication that all is not well with the F-35.  At every turn we're told that the F-35 will be a world beater, and that no threat airplane either flying or in development will be able to touch it.

Additionally its also said that the numbers procured will NOT change and that the program is on a trajectory toward success.

This move indicates that the F-35 won't hold sway.  The F-22 will need a missile truck.  Additionally we can expect numbers bought to fall.  1700 F-35's is more than enough (if the plane performed as expected) to deal with any credible threat....but instead they're building the XB-52 from the novels (I wonder if it will have canted tails?).

No matter how you slice it, we're seeing the worst military leadership this country has ever known.  They're more loyal to Lockheed Martin than they are to the nation they're sworn to protect.