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The US Air Force is inching closer to developing a future stealthy transport aircraft for special operations forces now that the requirement has been approved by the US warfighter community.
The next major step is for the concept, dubbed the Advanced Special Operations Forces Air Mobility Platform (M-X), to undergo a senior-level Department of Defense (DoD) review to authorise Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) to solicit industry teams to begin early developmental activities.
The M-X is envisaged from 2018 as a vertical- or ultra-short- take-off and landing platform for clandestine transport of troops and supplies into and out of heavily defended hostile territory in all terrains and environmental conditions.
The aircraft will augment, but not replace, AFSOC's fleet of MC-130 Combat Talon and CV-22 aircraft. Its agility and hard-to-detect infra-red, radar and acoustic signatures and low- probability-of-intercept communications signals will allow it to overcome sophisticated enemy sensors and surface-to-air missiles that might doom even upgraded MC-130s and CV-22s, the air force says.
Col Shelikoff told JDW that an analysis of alternatives completed in September 2004 points to an "advanced low-observable manned aircraft" as the most promising option.
It looks a little like a Star Trek vessel, but the new Lockheed Martin stealthy aircraft design making its way into the light from the classified 'black' world is not science fiction.
Lockheed Martin and Boeing are in a race to develop a concept for two near-term requirements to support US special operations forces (SOFs). Lockheed Martin revealed its design for the first time on 12 February. Called the MACK conceptual aircraft, the idea is to have a common design for a medium-lift, multirole platform that both SOFs and conventional military forces can use, director of advanced systems concepts at Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works, Rod Cusic, told JDW. The suggestion is that with a stealthy aircraft frame, modular systems could be installed to perform a variety of missions, from a next-generation gunship to a transport, cargo-lifter, or even a refuelling tanker capable of being a network-centric sensor and relay platform.
Originally posted by American Mad Man
Yup.
The goal of the USAF is going to be to move to an all stealth fleet.
I'd like to see some stealth AWACS too.
Originally posted by waynos
Here's a concept pic I found on a trawl of the net a few months ago, I'm afraid I don't know which company designed it but it was on an article describing the project you mentioned.
Originally posted by American Mad Man
I'd like to see some stealth AWACS too.
Originally posted by Element
Originally posted by American Mad Man
I'd like to see some stealth AWACS too.
Pretty hard to make a Radar plane stealth, as stealthness is mainly based on radar silent surfaces and radar absorbing materials...No discretion at all in a 5megawatts radar emitter
Originally posted by American Mad Man
Yup.
The goal of the USAF is going to be to move to an all stealth fleet.
I'd like to see some stealth AWACS too.