Norman D. Dicks: “let me say this: This debate on the B-2 has been a long, difficult debate. I can understand my colleagues who think it…”

“let me say this: This debate on the B-2 has been a long, difficult debate. I can understand my colleagues who think it is going to hurt something. But my view of this is that of everything we are doing at the Pentagon today, not one other weapons system has the potential capability to deter war as does the B-2. Take this platform that is stealthy, that can go one-third of the way around the world and stop the enemy from achieving their objectives, and that is a remarkable capability. What are the weapons we are going to use on this? J-DAMS at $13,000. If we do not have the B-2's, then we have to use the B-52's with standoff cruise missiles that cost $1.2 million per weapon--16 times $13,000 is $208,000, versus $1.2 million. You get 16 weapons on a B-2 for the cost of one-sixth of one cruise missile. It is ridiculous. This will save us money over time. And you can fly in over the target and knock out 16 separate targets in one sortie. In World War II, it took 3,000 sorties in order to be able to achieve that objective. This is a revolution in technology. What it gives us is an asymmetrical capability to stop the enemy before they achieve their objective. What does that mean? It saves American lives. It saves American lives. Unfortunately, Mr. Chairman, I say to my friend, the gentleman from California, I supported the B-1, but the B-1 is not stealthy. It has to have escort aircraft.”