Air Force gives hints about new bomber

reply to post by tencap77


It won't be hard to make it unmanned later in its life. They do it with fighters to turn them into target drones now.

Nimrod MRA4 was started as a fixed price contract - BAE had to renegotate half way through as it was going to send them broke.

I dont think fixed price is the answer to reign in the costs on bleeding edge technology.

Compromise maybe, more scrutiny on design decisions.

I doubt Boeing would have made their F34 any cheaper than LM.

reply to post by Zaphod58


Yeah, I get that. I understand they can make really smart drones. and it makes sense. but bombing targets from space makes so much more sense. we don't have to send the bombers, they're "already" up there. GPS guided munitions dropped from 400 miles in space, by an autonomous killer robot?

another advantage to having a space based weapons platform? we can kill they're space based systems more efficiently and get a cleaner kill.

Better to take the high ground now. it's only a matter of time. eventually we're actually going to have to go to war with someone. I don[t want to fight them. I want to exterminate them. That's the only reason to use combat force. EVER. if we let some other "power" get there ahead of us, I can assure you, they won't be making the same STUPID mistakes on the battlefield of the future that we've been making all over the world for the last couple of decades.

reply to post by Zaphod58


Do you think we will see an unveil soon? (Christmas can't come soon enough... ), and will we be able to see a "fly-off" of the the two designs or have they already pretty much awarded contracts to the winning design?

reply to post by Zaphod58


Can anyone explain why the money is not spent in infrastructure? I mean You country already can kick ass... how about providing a few jobs...

Independent view from the outside.

reply to post by tencap77


I agree with that mentality when it comes to warfare. If you are going to fight then you damn well fight.

The problem with satellite weaponry is the problem all satellites have. You know where and when it is going to be somewhere. That makes it an easy target for ASAT weapons.

reply to post by Sammamishman


From what I understand it will be a flyoff. It's down to a couple with some major advances that we'll never see, but it is an actual competition.

reply to post by Dizak


Numerically we can kick ass. When you get into the fine details the US military starts to fall apart. Fleets as old or older than the crews, cracks appearing in structures, speed and G limits, etc.

I'd love to see a better balance of non-military to military spending, but the leadership has let the force get in bad shape.

reply to post by Zaphod58


Could this be the reasoning for the rumored added South base security?

reply to post by Zaphod58


That is why if I was in charge, the satellites that have weapons on board would look identical to non-weaponized satellites. I'd also use a semi-civilian cover (hmmm NASA?) to place them. I'd be launching so many into space under the guise of GPS/scientific research that the enemy would be taking a "guess" any time it tried to destroy one.

Each satellite would be a "one time" weapon as well. If it wasn't, it could be targeted after giving away it's position.

reply to post by Sammamishman


Almost certainly.

reply to post by MystikMushroom


Which is why the Air Force is launching electroptically equipped satellites into orbit.

reply to post by MystikMushroom


To add to Zaph's reply:

Aviation Week

reply to post by Sammamishman


What South base Edwards ? What we see in the last itérations all the options are open for the new bomber energy weapon , hypersonic , I m very impatient to see a concept become public. Too long awaiting for Christmas

reply to post by darksidius


Ah but you should see the secret santa stuff.

reply to post by Zaphod58


Yes Realy Zaph with your opinion when we see the first concept in public? If USAF want it for 2020 we will see the first prototype in white world in few years ?

reply to post by darksidius


We'll see the competition start within a year if they want it even close to 2020.

reply to post by Zaphod58


For the moment we can just speculate about the futur technology who embark on the new bomber, what shape? what kind of engine? what kind of weapon , what speed subsonic or supersonic ? all of that is realy interesting and the born of a new bomber is a great moment for Aerospace hobbyist.

reply to post by Zaphod58


Are Lockheed and Boeing still together on this? The two of them pooling their resources could make for some wicked flying machines.

reply to post by Sammamishman


I've heard interesting things. Officially it is Boeing/LM and NG. Unofficially I've heard both Boeing and LM have something out there.