Strategic Air Command (SAC) was a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile components of the United States military's strategic nuclear forces from 1946 to 1992. SAC was also responsible for strategic reconnaissance aircraft; airborne command posts; and most of the USAF's aerial refueling aircraft.
Boeing B-47B Stratojet executing a rocket-assisted take off (RATO) on 15 April 1954
11th Bombardment Wing Convair B-36J-5-CF Peacemaker, AF Ser. No. 52-2225, circa 1955, showing "Six turnin', four burnin'".
93 BW B-52Bs at Castle AFB after the 1957 fastest round-the-world flight.
Titan II missile launching from Site 395-C, a test launch silo at Vandenberg AFB.
A strategic bomber is a medium- to long-range penetration bomber aircraft designed to drop large amounts of air-to-ground weaponry onto a distant target for the purposes of debilitating the enemy's capacity to wage war. Unlike tactical bombers, penetrators, fighter-bombers, and attack aircraft, which are used in air interdiction operations to attack enemy combatants and military equipment, strategic bombers are designed to fly into enemy territory to destroy strategic targets. In addition to strategic bombing, strategic bombers can be used for tactical missions. There are currently only three countries that operate strategic bombers: the United States, Russia and China.
A contemporary U.S. Air Force strategic bomber, the Rockwell B-1 Lancer
The Sikorsky Ilya Muromets was designed by Igor Sikorsky as the first ever airliner, but it was turned into a bomber by the Imperial Russian Air Force.
The only operational strategic bomber with the Luftwaffe in World War II was the troubled Heinkel He 177.
A USAF B-2 Spirit stealth bomber.
