The BF-16B Strategic Bomber is specifically designed to engage large capital ships and to function as a counter to heavy cruisers and battlecruisers. The BF-16B was conceived in response to advances in anti-strike craft hull defense weapons on newer capital ship designs that were reducing the survivability of tactical bombers. Unlike tactical bombers that have short-range weapons with a high rate of fire, the strategic bomber engages its target from standoff ranges with anti-ship torpedoes, outside the range of most hull defense weapons. This makes the strategic bomber well suited for taking down cruiser-class ships in one or two volleys at the expense of an extremely slow reload speed. Strategic bombers are most effective when focus their attack on a single high-value target, and are less effective when engaging numerous smaller ships such as frigate groups.