V-bomber

The term V bomber was used for the Royal Air Force (RAF) aircraft during the 1950s and 1960s that composed the United Kingdom's strategic nuclear strike force known officially as the V-force or Bomber Command Main Force. The strategic bombers, whose names all started with the letter "V" and which were known collectively as the V-class, included the Vickers Valiant (first flew 1951, entered service 1955), Avro Vulcan (first flew 1952, in service 1956) and Handley Page Victor (first flew 1952, in service 1958). The V-Bomber force reached its peak in June 1964, with 50 Valiants, 70 Vulcans and 39 Victors in service.

When it became clear that Soviet surface-to-air missiles like the S-75 Dvina could successfully bring down high flying aircraft, the V bomber force changed to low-level attack methods. The Valiants were removed from service after problems with fatigue in their wings became apparent; a planned low-level variant of the Valiant did not progress beyond the prototype. Additionally, standoff weapons were introduced, starting with the Blue Steel (missile) and then planning to move to the much longer-ranged GAM-87 Skybolt air-launched ballistic missile. When the US cancelled Skybolt the survivability of the V-fleet was highly questionable. This led to the Royal Navy taking over the nuclear deterrent role in the 1970s, using UGM-27 Polaris intercontinental ballistic missiles launched from nuclear submarines. The tactical role passed to smaller aircraft like the SEPECAT Jaguar and Panavia Tornado.

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