Posted on 08/24/2007 12:48:38 PM PDT by BenLurkin
PALMDALE - Sen. Dianne Feinstein toured Northrop Grumman Corp.'s Palmdale Manufacturing Center on Thursday, learning of projects from upgrades for the proven B-2 stealth bomber to the company's latest endeavor, a demonstration version of an unmanned aircraft capable of operating from an aircraft carrier.
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Feinstein visited the site during production of the B-2s in the early 1990s, and praised the bomber for its successful operations since that time.
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Among the programs Feinstein learned about Thursday is the company's newest, the X-47B.
Earlier this month, Northrop Grumman was awarded a $635.8 million contract from the Navy to demonstrate an unmanned aircraft that could operate from an aircraft carrier.
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The complicated ballet required in managing the air and deck space of an aircraft carrier relies on hand signals and voice commands, both relying on pilots in the airplanes' cockpits, Winship said.
The X-47B instead will use digital signals to receive commands on deck and when approaching the ship.
While taxiing about the deck, a person with a hand-held electronic controller will relay the hand signals of deck handlers to the unmanned vehicle - commands for unfolding the wings, moving to the launch catapult and so forth, Winship said.
Instead of a crisp pilot's salute to signal the aircraft is ready to depart, the X-47B will have a flashing blue light visible to the deck handlers.
When approaching the ship to land, the X-47B - and the upcoming F-35 joint strike fighter - will receive digital signals that tell it where to line up for landing and which priority each aircraft has.
Air traffic controllers on board ship will be able to "wave off" the aircraft should conditions for landing not be right, Winship said.
(Excerpt) Read more at avpress.com ...
Thank God there is a buck in it for her somewhere or she would have surrendered the whole outfit to China .
Well, thank Goodness! Finally, all those doctorates and engineers can rest easy knowing that the biggest dingbat in congress has seen and applauded that aircraft. I’m sure they all celebrated afterwards.
I wonder if Feinstein voted against funding the B-2 bomber at some time in during her stint in Congress?
“Feinstein visited the site during production of the B-2s in the early 1990s, and praised the bomber for its successful operations since that time.”
It’s biggest success — still exisiting, pulling in money despite it’s lack of use.
Demrats love spending dollars to build military hardware but they cringe when it has to be used.
I’m not impressed with her.
She’s looking for a no bid contract for her husband no doubt.
Regards
Agreed.
We could/should have built many more while the production line was still up and running.
It has seen use in both Iraq and Afganistan. I'm not sure what you are talking about.
Yeah, really? I’ve never heard of it. And if so, I’d bet cold money it was only used a few times as a show piece, like the B1 was used in Iraq.
Marketing trip for her husband’s company.
Her Royal Highness Feinstein is, IMO, a monumental hypocrite. Like her fellow Senators, they’re a disgrace to our American heritage. Our founding fathers are turning in their graves at this reprehensible collection of traitors who were elected to serve this great nation. Instead they only serve their own quest for power and greed to the detriment to our country and our security.
"The B-2 maintained high mission capable rates for Operation Iraqi Freedom, dropping 583 JDAMs during the campaign."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B2_Bomber#Combat
“dropping 583 JDAMs during the campaign”
Which proves my point. What is that, 10 maybe 20 sorties?
Which proves my point. What is that, 10 maybe 20 sorties?
Well that depends on what size the JDAMs were.
If they are the big 2000 lb ones, the B-2 can only carry 18.
If they were the smaller 500 lb bombs it can carry up to 80 of them.
However, a full load in either case is going to mean more fuel consumption.
The B-2 also needs a huge amount of maintenance to maintain it's small radar signature and typically only somewhere around 50% are mission ready. That means about 10 planes.
The B-2 doesn't operate in theater. It is a stealthy plane used to fly in and take out anti-aircraft sites, runways, and command and control in the opening of the conflict.
It takes days to complete a single sortie, and by the time the plane is ready to head out with a new crew it is about three days per sortie.
Because of their high maintenance requirements you don't use the plane for missions unless you need stealth. Once their surface to air missile sites are gone other fighter-bombers, or the good old B-52 take over.
The B-2 is a strategic bomber, not a workhorse. That is why we are still doing upgrades on the B-52, 52 years after it entered service in 1955.
The B-2 serves it's purpose well, but that purpose isn't a high volume of sorties.
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