Pentagon wants to mothball the B-52 and spend more on tiny little fighter jets

The Pentagon is seeking to slash its fleet of B-52 bombers -- a move which is being opposed by Congress, U.S. media reported on Tuesday.

The U.S. Air Force's plan to reduce its B-52 bomber fleet from 94 aircraft to 33, is part of a drive to divert more cash toward high-tech equipment, including the expensive F-22 fighter jet.

However, the House of Representatives has maintained its opposition to the plan in its version of the 2007 Defense Authorization Act, according to the report.

That draft act requires the current fleet to be kept until 2018, when a new long-range bomber comes into service.

The Pentagon has made several attempts to reduce the B-52 fleet over the last decade, but Congress has repeatedly required the full complement of 94 aircraft to be kept.

Although the B-52, developed in the 1950s, lacks the speed and stealth of the B-1 and B-2 bombers, it has an enormous bomb bay that, combined with new, low cost precision munitions, gives it great ability on the battlefield.

Source: Xinhua