Can Somebody Explain

Why we have not seen the LRS-B design?

What point is it to hide the drawing or conceptual design of this aircraft?

Seriously?

And why hasn't Lockheed protested by releasing their design? Show us how amazing the losing aircraft is?

Don't tell me it must remain secret, thats garbage. The Iranians aren't going to win WW3 with a PDF of a planform.

a reply to: BigTrain

Because it's still classified. If Boeing and Lockheed released their design they'd be lucky to ever get another contact again, on top of the massive fines they'd pay.

It will be released when it's released. Nothing is happening right now because of the protest. No work is being done, no money is being paid, nothing.

a reply to: BigTrain

Could you do me a favour and explain what design you are talking about, maybe provide a link to something about it?

It's like someone just booted down the door to my house, and started speaking passionately about cheesecake, without giving any idea of flavour or inspiration for this secret cheesecake idea that someone is keeping under wraps. I want to hear all about it, but require context...and a new door.

a reply to: TrueBrit

The new bomber. It was awarded to Northrop, but no one has seen the designs yet. It was developed under a classified risk reduction program, but all work was stopped because the Boeing/Lockheed team protested the contract going to Northrop.

There are possible concept drawings in the wind, but nothing has been released, or can be released until next month after the GAO issues their ruling on the contract.

originally posted by: Zaphod58

Nothing is happening right now because of the protest. No work is being done, no money is being paid, nothing.

actually an entire army of lawyers who formerly were busy dusting off file cabinets are as busy as termites.

a reply to: howmuch4another

Well other than that. Nothing visible is going on, and nothing can be released about it.

a reply to: BigTrain

It must remain secret.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Wait, so let me get this straight.

The US military put out a request for a design for a new bomber aircraft. I assume that this went through the normal process of being put out to "tender". Once a bunch of aerospace-hyper-nerds had finished wielding the pencil on this thing in various design labs at the various companies on the tender list, the military selected their preferred design...Ok so far?

So what is there to protest about?

a reply to: TrueBrit

The fact that the program will earn the winner a ridiculous amount of money over a lot of years. The program calls for up to 100 aircraft, and the development phase alone is estimated at $21.4B, for the first batch of aircraft.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Hehe... Well of course there is an awful lot of money in it! It's an aerospace design for military use. The military wouldn't know how to save money without costing lives! Their entire existence in a modern society requires that the military buy whatever crap they are fed as long as it is good and expensive, thats a given.

What I want to know is, on what grounds can a rival firm protest, when a contract is awarded to a competitor? I mean, surely it is a case of merely accepting that their nerds did not win this round? It is just that I have never heard of such a decision being protested before. I have heard of incidents where a firm improved upon some design issues that might have swung things the other way, while retaining design elements which were more appealing on their design than the competing one, and by that manner extending the period necessary to ruminate on the matter of a final choice.

But I do not understand what grounds they are protesting on. They must have a better line than "That's not fair! WE want the money, give it to US! PLEEEEEEEEEEEASE?".

This website gives some conceptual designs

aviationweek.com...

It's got to be stealthy, aerodynamic, be able to travel long distances, and carry a large payload. There's all sorts of wing shape combinations that could work for that specification.

They probably heard the stats capability wise for the rival and are either incredulous or are calling BS. Or think their bird is just plain better as a fit for the new role.

Lochkheed was pretty pissed when Northrup won the contract for the B2 and they didn't. One of the reasons is they didn't believe they were beat in the stealth department. That's one reason there were others.


But I'm in agree with Sammamishman....IT MUST REMAIN SECRET!!!!

originally posted by: TrueBrit
But I do not understand what grounds they are protesting on. They must have a better line than "That's not fair! WE want the money, give it to US! PLEEEEEEEEEEEASE?".

I think the superficial justification is that Lockheed is upset that DoD didn't believe in their magic cost reduction promises and instead went on past experience with Lockheed.

The actual core of the protest is "That's not fair! MY DISTRICT wants the money! Give it to US, OR ELLLLLSSSEEE!"

a reply to: mbkennel

Oh for goodness sake.

So basically, this is another one of those times when big important issues are being dealt with by small minded, ignorant morons with all the intellect of the contents of a swab taken from the inside of a storm drain cover? Got it. Cheers!

a reply to: TrueBrit

The way the price of each aircraft was determined. They took the bid of each company, threw out the cost savings measures that each had built in, looked at past history, doubled the cost of each bid, and went on that instead of the actual bids.

a reply to: TrueBrit

No. This is another time that the Air Force probably screwed up. Boeing is the lead, not Lockheed, but if you look at past history it gets interesting. Northrop delivered far fewer aircraft for a higher overrun than Boeing and Lockheed combined.

originally posted by: TrueBrit
a reply to: BigTrain

Could you do me a favour and explain what design you are talking about, maybe provide a link to something about it?

It's like someone just booted down the door to my house, and started speaking passionately about cheesecake, without giving any idea of flavour or inspiration for this secret cheesecake idea that someone is keeping under wraps. I want to hear all about it, but require context...and a new door.

You just got your door booted down I made a reply to you and immediately got logged out. Anyway, it's a secret that, 'nobody' knows about. ?? And anyway, who needs a Long Range Strike Bomber, when there is the B2...get it?

originally posted by: TrueBrit
a reply to: mbkennel

Oh for goodness sake.

So basically, this is another one of those times when big important issues are being dealt with by small minded, ignorant morons with all the intellect of the contents of a swab taken from the inside of a storm drain cover? Got it. Cheers!

I have worked in Procurement for over 20 years, the majority in Defense and some in Government. The buzz word in public sector spending is probity. Transparency of your selection when spending public funds is open to challenge by both the public and the tenderers if you suspect you are offering a compliant bid which is better value for money.

When you are talking about these sums of money, they will likely do anything they can to challenge the selection every time providing they have a valid reason, once independent folk are introduced, who knows what will happen but it cant be any worse for the losing party.

a reply to: smurfy

So you'd rather rely on a very small number of aircraft that are 20 years old on average, and can field anywhere from a third to half the fleet at any time, backed up by aircraft that are as old or far older than the crews flying them?

a reply to: Sammamishman

Well thats my point. EVERYTHING is secret these days, the GOV classifies every toilet as secret. Its one giant scam, hide everything, give me a break already.

Its not secret to Russia, not secret to the Chinese, its only secret to the American public.

Release the photo of the plane already, enough is enough. Secret this, secret that, blah blah blah. Nobody on this planet can reproduce the bird from a photo.