So how many long-range air-to-air missiles could we put on a B-1?
With the range American planes have to fly to defend targets close to China, there is a risk that Chinese frontal stealth aircraft could overwhelm our fighters on station and go after AWACS-type planes and aerial tankers to cripple our air defenses.
Given the ability of the F-35 to fire anti-aircraft weapons on other platforms, could we equip the B-1 bomber with long-range air-to-air missiles (an Air-to-Air B-1, or AABONE)?
The B-1 could hang well back and let the closer stealthy F-35 fire a barrage from the B-1, without even disclosing the location of the F-35.
I suggest a B-1 for this mission rather than a bomb truck using a converted commercial plane for this threat environment because the B-1 could skedaddle at high speed away from the threat after firing the missiles.