An outstanding analysis of the complex and controversial B-1 bomber issue. In this closely reasoned piece, the authors examine five alternative bomber forces in terms of relative costs and of expected performances against various hypothetical threats. Concluding that the proper future role of such a force is to act as insurance against the failure of land-based missile forces, they argue that this can be adequately achieved with the present B-52s, and ultimately by a missile-carrying "stand-off" bomber, a less expensive weapon system than the B-1.