FB-23 concept confirmed

According to one of my company's emails, Northrop Grumman has now confirmed that there are FB-23 long range bomber concepts on the drawing board - utilizing a larger, modified YF-23 airframe.

I have no further information on this but there should be something forthcoming for the press.

Well if confirmed this should make a lot of Widow lovers happy, at least the YF-23 wont just be forgotten about.

Cool, I found it funny that the two YF-23 prototypes were MIA for a while. The one at Edwards is nowhere to be found and the one that was on static display at the Western Museum of Flight in hawthorn Ca, was 'loaned" back to Northrop for an extended period for refurbishment

The F-23 should have won the ATF contest from the git go

Yey! I can now explain the story of my favorite jet to people who ask "What's the FB-23?"

It'll make me feel smart, thanks for the info Intelgurl!

Shattered OUT...

Do you think that the fb-23 will be able to do for bombers what the f-22 did for fighters.

Is the fb-23 the best bomber out there?

How has russia responded?

Originally posted by Danie
Do you think that the fb-23 will be able to do for bombers what the f-22 did for fighters.

Is the fb-23 the best bomber out there?

How has russia responded?

1)We don't know
2)We don't know
3)We don't know

Keep in mind, it's still only in the concept phase.

Shattered OUT...

yes i know

whats your opinion?

This is great. I can't wait to see how this thing will look. Hopefully not too differnt from the original design.

Sweeeet I always loved the YF-23 and thought the US should have went with it over the Raptor. I have family that work at Northrop so I may be alittle biased

Glad to see in one shape or another the YF-23 may get a chance.

Originally posted by Danie
Do you think that the fb-23 will be able to do for bombers what the f-22 did for fighters.

Is the fb-23 the best bomber out there?

How has russia responded?

To early to say.

What did the Raptor do for fighters?

and the B-2 will still hold the best bomber title...well, I guess that varries on whats "best" for a specific mission.

Russia hasn't even responded to the F/A-22 Raptor...They dont have the money to respond.

I think the SU-47 was their first response to the F-22

www.air-attack.com...

But I would say this picture is as close as one will get to fighting a Raptor now

Originally posted by ShadowXIX
I think the SU-47 was their first response to the F-22

www.air-attack.com...

But I would say this picture is as close as one will get to fighting a Raptor now

yea su47 vs f22 was already decided on a previous forum, of course f22 is the dominant fighter but whats the latest bomber russia has?

The SU-47 won't even enter production until 2009 at the earliest. By then they will probably be designing the F/A-22C, with some new features to defeat upcoming systems. It will probably be at least four to five years after it enters productions for any number of SU-47s to be in service, if not more.

Interesting idea to make the FB-23. It'll be interesting to see how it does aerodynamically, if they just modify the existing airframes to make them into bombers.

[edit on 19-9-2005 by Zaphod58]

Originally posted by Danie
but whats the latest bomber russia has?

Last I heard just concepts like the Sukhoi T-60S. But I never seen anything beyond concept drawings. Designed by the Sukhoi bureau in 1984 and originally it was supposed to enter service in 2003.

But new generation bombers have proved to be quite expensive. Could be why Russia never went through with it.




www.aeronautics.ru...

wow thats an impressive photo,

maybe we should be glad that it never went through.

Woooohoooooooooo!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the confirmation IG. As a huge fan of the YF-23, I REALLY hope the FB-23 comes to service. From what I have read, it supposedly will have VISUAL stealth as well as radar and thermal. In addition, it will be designed with a higher top end speed during supercruise since it does not require the agility of a fighter.

Sounds like the perfect platform to take out some nuclear facilities *cough IRAN cough*

Ladies and gentlemen...I believe, after many years of speculation, we will finally see Aurora for the first time. Based on reading I have done, mainly on the crash at Boscombe Down back in the 90's, the description of a two seat strike aircraft based on the F-23 fits very well with that description of Aurora. Too much money has been spent on F-23 soley to lose out of a fighter competition it rightly should have won. Perhaps it was never to win at all, a public test bed for such revolutionary technology not intended for a fighter, but for something else. Given it's history, F-23 was more likely a demonstrator for Aurora. At least one prototype of FB-23 must have been flying for some time. The F-23's might have been recalled to do some more research after the crash at Boscombe. It will be interesting to see what been hidden all these years.

Originally posted by Murcielago

Originally posted by Danie
How has russia responded?

and the B-2 will still hold the best bomber title...well, I guess that varries on whats "best" for a specific mission.

Russia hasn't even responded to the F/A-22 Raptor...They dont have the money to respond.

Not they don't have the money its just that why do they need a response? They don't have another world war in mind.

Also I think that the B-2 will be the best carpet and level bomber. The best strategic bomber will be either the B-1 (Biased cuz I do love this aircraft) Or maybe, JUST MAYBE the Tupolev 22. I think the Tu-22 is still in use in Russia isn't it? Well if not it was a nice aircraft anyway.

Originally posted by Daniebut whats the latest bomber russia has?

The Tu-22M Backfire I believe is there current "best" bomber, and I dont know of any future bombers that are in the making...I'm of course not counting concept drawings...What country doesn't have a million of those.

Darkpr0 - It is most deffiniatly about money...it always is. Just because you dont think you will go to war, doesn't mean you wont, better safe then sorry.

TSR2005 - I'm a little confused on your post, but from what I understand of it, I dissagree.

I'd be happy to answer any inquiry you might have. How did my comments confuse you?