RAPID DRAGON: TURNING AMERICA’S CARGO PLANES INTO MISSILE-PACKED ARSENAL SHIPS

The Sandboxx ^ | 6/28/2022 | Alex Hollings

[krogers58]

Increasingly capable long-range air-launched munitions have already granted new life to elder statesmen like the B-52 Stratofortress, but the Air Force’s Rapid Dragon program aims to take this concept to the next level. Rather than relying solely on heavy payload bombers and strike fighters to deliver stand-off munitions, Rapid Dragon will allow America’s large fleets of cargo aircraft to join the fight as missile-packing arsenal ships. In fact, this system could even turn cargo aircraft into incredibly potent warship hunters if a conflict were ever to break out over the Pacific.

[krogers58]

This is part of the US's new battle concept of distributed lethality. There are plans underway to be able to use 747's be able to carry 3 times the number of cruise missiles as a B-52. How many 747's can we lay our hands on in the time of war?

Active work is being done to also destroy the Chinese air defense system in the MALD program, with the ADM-160 MALD program. Ingenious, and cost effective.

https://www.sandboxx.us/blog/adm-160-mald-americas-secret-weapon-to-engage-air-defenses-isnt-a-weapon-at-all/

[Lazamataz]

I hate China.

I love Chinese food and Chinese women but I hate China.

[datura]

I second that wholeheartedly

[Steely Tom]

The USAF successfully launched a Minuteman ICBM from a C-5 Galaxy cargo plane.

[Brian Griffin]

China makes stuff America can’t live without, such as drug precursors.

In 1950, Red China sent US forces fleeing from North Korea.

[heshtesh]

I won’t lose any sleep thinking like that.

[broken_clock]

How many 747's can we lay our hands on in the time of war?

The Mojave desert might be the answer.

[sauropod]

.

[Yo-Yo]

How many 747's can we lay our hands on in the time of war?

Using 747s at cruise missile carriers is not a new concept. It was first proposed as an alternative to the B-1 bomber.

http://www.boeing-747.com/special_boeing_747s/747_cmca_-_cruise_missile_carrier.php

This variant was considered by the U.S. Air Force as a Cruise Missile Carrier Aircraft during the development of the B-1 Lancer strategic bomber. It would have been equipped with 50 to 100 AGM-86 ALCM cruise missiles on rotary launchers. This plan was abandoned in favor of more conventional strategic bombers.

However, you can't just take a civilian 747 airliner and put cruise missiles in it. There is a lot of specialized modification that have to be done to the aircraft to carry and launch cruise missiles from rotary launcher modules.

[Brian Griffin]

A cloud of cheap BBs and an expensive high speed missile won’t get along.

[SaveFerris]

Is Oceania about to go to war with East Asia?

Hope I’m joking.

[McGruff]

Good thing the Russians and Chinese aren’t thinking of doing the same thing.

[Brian Griffin]

A sheet of aluminum can be stamped into a small boat.

Small boats transported Allied troops from Dunkirk to Great Britain.

[krogers58]

Is Oceania about to go to war with East Asia?

They've always been at war with each other, donchya know?

[Fai Mao]

I hate the Chinese government. I hate Biden and democrats the same amount, maybe more.

[SaveFerris]

I was expecting that one 😁😜.

[fishtank]

So, one does not simply take cruise missiles into a 747 cargo hold?

[ealgeone]

In 1950, Red China sent US forces fleeing from North Korea.

Nope. We didn't flee North Korea in 1950.

[al baby]

Over there its just called Food

[glorgau]

It also means that it would behoove any enemy to take out every civilian airliner and cargo plane at the start of a conflict. Occupied or not.