LRS-B Will be Much more that Just a Bomber

a reply to: BigTrain
We would do the same thing when we would have F-111 on the line towards the end of it's career. I would probably take alot longer look still if I seen one of those fly by me one more time as opposed to the new standard.

a reply to: usafage

Looks like the USAF is getting ready. Everyone says tomorrow, right?

a reply to: anzha

It may not come tomorrow for various reasons. I wouldn't be surprised if it gets pushed into Oct.

a reply to: Sammamishman
Impatient to know the winner too long awaiting since this summer, it's a question of week now.

they'll figure out a way to push the announcement back to november.

;p

a reply to: grey580

No no no , we want it now

It will happen when the Air Force decides the time is right for them.

a reply to: Zaphod58

If it happens today, I bet it happens after the market closes.

However, I suspect folks are right and everything will end up being postponed.

a reply to: anzha

It'll be before the end of the month if not this evening. The rumor mill is picking up.

Interestingly the AF has promised to give the media the same access that think tanks have had until now before the announcement.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I'm hearing lots of chatter. It'll be soon. However, there have been other projects that were supposed to be soon and got politi-nailed and delayed. Oh, poor UCLASS!

Turning this back to the bomber, I could easily see the laser we've been discussing for the C-130 added in and the AFSOC wants to put daughter drones on the AC-130 as well. They're interested in something like the LOCUST. However, I could see the B-3 using parasite drones, ahem, uavs as well. You probably can't carry an HEL Avenger, but it would be funny if it did.

a reply to: anzha

UCLASS is mostly because he Navy doesn't want it and the Pentagon is telling them they're getting it. Since they have more control over it than the F-35 they're fighting it tooth and nail.

originally posted by: darksidius
a reply to: mbkennel
I understand your opinion about the stealth , ok for that, but another thing need speed it's the fight with the mobile launcher, a lot of time to go on the theater and the launcher go away, this type of mission need speed. How you fight the very mobile target of a country like Russia or China ? A lot of time USAF said it need speed to destroy this type of vehicle with a subsonic plane it need at least one hour and a half to start penetrat of more of 600 miles in a hostile territory , it's a lot of time for a target to escape.

High speed costs fuel though and is much more visible on infrared.

Really, it's very difficult to find mobile launchers over an enemy country with air defense which is large and far away.

Still, this was the primary mission of the B-2 in the 1980's: hunt for Soviet mobile ICBM's and nuke them.

No I don't see how it would have worked all that well.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
It will happen when the Air Force decides the time is right for them.

*dislike* #hurryupalready

Even if it is announced very very soon, I don't think we will actually be seeing anything of note for a while still.

a reply to: BlackDog10

They've already talked about the official rollout before the end of the year.

a reply to: Zaphod58

This evening makes a lot of sense from a corporate/stock perspective.

The losing party will lose big on this one, and making the announcement on a Friday after closing will help protect either LM/Boeing or NG from a crash sell-off.

a reply to: Barnalby

Welp... It's after 4:00 pm and 4:15 pm EST, now, so all of the NYSE is buttoned up for the weekend, except for after-hours trading, which goes until 8:00 pm EST (5:00 pm at Edwards/Palmdale) this evening... Just in time for them to still have time to roll something out on the USAF's 68th Anniversary/Birthday! *crosses fingers*


Worth noting, but since the NYSE closed just a little bit ago at 4:00 pm EST, there has been *some* after-hours trading done relating to the known parties involved, as of 4:25 pm EST:

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC) ↑ 0.01 (0.01%)
Lockheed Martin (LMT) ↑ 0.01 (0.01%)
Boeing Co (BA) ↓ 0.04 (0.03%)

Might not mean anything at all, but thought I'd at least mention it..

a reply to: weavty1

I wonder what the likelihood of there being some bonkers left-field resolution like Lockheed being selected but kicking Boeing to the curb and using N-G for manufacturing, or N-G forging an alliance with Lockheed behind Boeing's back to build the N-G airframe.

That would be pretty nuts, but given where Boeing is right now with the KC-46, especially over the past week, it wouldn't be THAT surprising, to me at least...

a reply to: Barnalby

They're getting back on track with the -46. First flight of EMD-2 is next Friday. They will do a few test flights then start refueling tests.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Probably not happening today. It might happen at 8 pm eastern, but...doubt it.

Has anyone considered where to find a press conference schedule? it might be billed as something else or whatnot.