Posted on 01/16/2010 1:18:29 AM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates recently indicated the U.S. Air Force is likely going to receive funding set aside for a new long-range bomber, according to media reports.
In April, Gates cut several high-profile projects, which led to Air Force officials being disappointed that funding for the bomber could have vanished. However, the bomber program is expected to receive at least $1 billion, with the number expected to significantly increase in the years to come.
"We are probably going to proceed with a long-range strike initiative coming out of the Quadrennial Defense Review and various other reviews going on," Gates noted. "We're looking at a family of capabilities, both manned and unmanned."
The U.S. military continues to transition its air fleet to be better prepared for the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Working with private contractors, military officials continue to look for new ways to modernize its fleet at a time when the Pentagon has requested lower spending budgets.
It's unknown if the Air Force is more interested in developing a long-range unmanned aircraft, or will instead decide to rely on manned bombers. To date, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been reconnaissance aircraft, though coordinated strikes have taken place using UAVs.
Gates' announcement also will excite private contractors, which have been disappointed in the lack of government-issued contracts.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailytech.com ...
Replacing the old B-52s? I guess we’ll see.
We need fighters. Only fighters can give us air supremacy.
Lot of platforms can perform bomber roles, delivering weapons.
The Air Force has them operational until 2040.
The B-52 can have a handful of X-51s and they can deliver any nuke in the world
Any bombers (unmanned or not, hypersonic or not) are just a typical targets for S-400/future S-500 SAM
I do not think a S-400 can shoot down a X-51
>I do not think a S-400 can shoot down a X-51
You sure? Why not?
“However, general said the S-400 is capable of destroying stealth aircraft, cruise missiles and intermediate-range ballistic missiles with a speed of up to 4.8 kilometers (3 miles) per second.”
The missile will be traveling at hypersonic speeds at very low altitudes at Mach 5 which is about 3600 miles per hour and the X-51 is designed for stealth capability.
Correction:There is no published way to make a scramjet powered vehicle (or any other hypersonic vehicle) have any sort of stealth,however, because of the high speed at which it operates. If the aircraft was covered with RADAR absorbent material (RAM) the scramjet vehicle would be slightly more stealthy
3600 mph = 5760 kmh. So max speed of X-51 is 1,6km per second.
Quite possible for S-400 and interceptable.
Effective stealth capability at such hypersonic speed is impossible (mach5 objects will be detected anyway). S-400 is also capable against low-flying objects and can track/guide trace of targets in airspace (anti-stealth capabilities).
I guess it will have to be tested out either in simulaton or battlefield contitions.
Why not skip the idea of bombers altogether and rely on moon catapults?
What happened to the B70, B1, and B2?
Oh yeah, they are obsolete.
From other articles this is a long term program. Something in the order of 15-20 years to actually have something in the air.
B1 and B2 are currently in service. Why do you say they are obsolete?
It may have more to do with which lobbyists got to which politicians than any rational overarching strategy decisions. The Murtha military.
Even with a cloaking device?
The -117 is actually a bomber...and a darned good one that can’t be seen. Build a couple flocks of these and launch at different altitudes for a srike.
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