North American XB-21
Posted on 02/29/2016 4:48:09 PM PST by MtnClimber
With the U.S. Air Force revealing concept art and a designation for its shadowy Northrop Grumman B-21 Long Range Strike-Bomber (LRS-B) last week, there are many details that we can now glean about the new warplane. First and foremost, the new B-21 looks very similar to its B-2 Spirit predecessor. In fact, the new aircraft look startlingly similar to the original Advanced Strategic Penetration Aircraft (ASPA) and the later Advanced Technology Bomber concept from the 1980s that ultimately resulted in the B-2. But the Spirit was redesigned late in the game to operate at low altitudes after Dr. Paul Kaminski's-current chairman of the Defense Science Board-Red Team cautioned that the B-2 might have to resort to low-level penetration as the Soviets built new, more capable radars-as legendary Aviation Week journalist Bill Sweetman points out in his book "Inside the Stealth Bomber." The redesign caused a decrease in range and payload, as well as a larger radar cross-section.
If the current B-21 design is truly representative of the direction the Air Force is taking, the new aircraft will take the B-2's all-aspect stealth design to the next level. Particularly, the B-21's low observable design will be more effective against low frequency radars operating in the UHF and VHF bands, which are increasingly coming into vogue as a means to counter stealth aircraft.
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalinterest.org ...
That would be impressive coming over low.
Would they name it the Obomber?
More likely the Baraq-21
Not long qgo, a F16 bested an F35. Lets hope they got this one right.
Large, expensive bombers in an environment of inexpensive drones makes no sense. A hundred small targets are more survivable than one large target.
That's General "Buck" Turgidson speaking!
My SIL works on the F35.
Let’s just say it’s a “jobs program” for engineers LOL
Manned bombers are harder to hack than drones. And if they’re carrying nukes they can be recalled right until the moment the weapon is released.
Vaporware.
Yes, it’s a bit early to label it “Lethal” - still in the early design stages and all. Let’s see one built, first.
And unobtanium construction?
CC
I agree.
Will never leave the drawing board.
We already have the last manned US strategic bombers.
Something to consider boys and girls, if they are willing to show us these new weapons, imagine what else they have...glad I’m on our side.
North American XB-21
The AF is going to solicit requests from the enlisted force to give the new bomber a name that honors all enlisted. I wonder if they should name it the “Sergeant.”
There is a rumor one is already in testing at Groom Lake.
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