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Air Force gives hints about new bomber

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posted on Feb, 26 2014 @ 09:25 PM
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posted on Feb, 26 2014 @ 09:33 PM
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reply to post by Zaphod58
 


So we may have a three plane flyoff? I should have suspected LM and Boeing wouldn't see eye to eye.



posted on Feb, 26 2014 @ 10:32 PM
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reply to post by Sammamishman
 


From what I have heard only two officially are in the program.



posted on Feb, 27 2014 @ 12:35 PM
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Zaphod58
reply to post by crazyewok
 


That covers inflation, and the cost of replacing the tooling, and specialized machinery required to work the RAM coatings. Not to mention that it would be a one off replacement. But either way, it would probably be on the order of $7-800M a copy if they restart the line and don't build a huge fleet of them.
edit on 2/21/2014 by Zaphod58 because: (no reason given)


You quoted 1.2T, assuming that means trillion, that is about 1/3 of the US federal government budget, at least double the DOD usual budget, and significantly larger than Medicare.



posted on Feb, 27 2014 @ 01:02 PM
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reply to post by mbkennel
 


Yes that is trillion. That is what it would have cost in 2008 to restart the line and replace it.



posted on Feb, 27 2014 @ 01:25 PM
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Dizak
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.

This is already about jobs : keeping the jobs of overpaid weapons lobbyists



posted on Feb, 27 2014 @ 03:13 PM
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Looks like we'll have to wait till the Fall to see what these jets will look like:



“We expect that there will be a full RFP, a final RFP and a competition probably in the fall timeframe,” Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said at a Feb. 26 event, hosted by Bloomberg. James also told the audience that there are “two teams at present who are working on pre-proposal types of activities, preparing to take the next step in competition on the long-range strike bomber.”


Air Force Times



posted on Feb, 28 2014 @ 11:14 AM
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Have a friend who worked with skunkworks and other aircraft programs.


He basically said we have almost reversed engineered extra terrestrial technology.


He said they use a lot of mercury and a bunch of other alloys.



posted on Feb, 28 2014 @ 12:00 PM
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reply to post by Zaphod58
 


Ok great having these expensive toys.....

But what if say a war with china or say Russia breaks out next week and B-2 and F-22 start getting shot down. If the production lines are closed and it takes so much money and resources to replace them then how the hell is the USA meant to last in a protracted war?

Yeah the USA will be shooting Chinese and Russian planes like fish in a barrel in the first weeks and months but surely combat loses and wear and tear will take there toll? Surely if the opposition is pumping out cheap replacement planes and the USA is stuck with what it started with its going to be in trouble?
edit on 28-2-2014 by crazyewok because: (no reason given)



posted on Feb, 28 2014 @ 01:23 PM
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reply to post by crazyewok
 


The F-22 tooling was placed into storage and the line can still be quickly and easily reopened, and some of the F-35 tooling could be used in an emergency. A lot, if not all the B-2 tooling was destroyed after production ended. That line would have to be completely restarted.



posted on Feb, 28 2014 @ 01:28 PM
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reply to post by Zaphod58
 


So in a real war the B-2's are pretty vulnerable to loss if they cant be replaced.

Well least the F-22 can be restarted.

Just hate to see the USA full in to the same trap Germany did in world war 2. Losts of advanced fancy vehicles that are difficult and slow to replace and easily swamped by weaker enemy units.



posted on Feb, 28 2014 @ 01:52 PM
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reply to post by crazyewok
 


The B-2 would be used against specific targets that other aircraft couldn't hit, with B-1s hitting more vulnerable targets, and B-52s initially playing missile truck. As the defenses are opened up, the B-52s switch to a mixed role of missiles and bombs, and the Lancers move forward to the next target area.



posted on Feb, 28 2014 @ 02:18 PM
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Zaphod58
reply to post by crazyewok
 


The B-2 would be used against specific targets that other aircraft couldn't hit, with B-1s hitting more vulnerable targets, and B-52s initially playing missile truck. As the defenses are opened up, the B-52s switch to a mixed role of missiles and bombs, and the Lancers move forward to the next target area.


Still there is only what 20 B-2's? Just the loss of a couple would be pretty catastrophic if they cant be replaced.

No stealth is perfect and it a real fight there bound to be losses isn't there?

Id be scared to use them!



posted on Feb, 28 2014 @ 02:47 PM
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reply to post by crazyewok
 


If it's a war against China or Russia you have to use them. Don't forget that you are also looking at initial strikes that are unexpected. After that you have SEAD/DEAD strikes as well as escorts.

Yes it's a risk, but so are training flights. You can just as easily lose one on a routine flight (Guam 08) as in combat.



posted on Feb, 28 2014 @ 02:51 PM
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Zaphod58
reply to post by crazyewok
 


If it's a war against China or Russia you have to use them. Don't forget that you are also looking at initial strikes that are unexpected. After that you have SEAD/DEAD strikes as well as escorts.

Yes it's a risk, but so are training flights. You can just as easily lose one on a routine flight (Guam 08) as in combat.

Great points.

Is just seems a bit silly to have completely closed down all B-2 manufacturing just incase its needed again. But I guess the cost of keeping it open just in case whereas bad as just reopening them from scratch.



posted on Feb, 28 2014 @ 11:09 PM
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crazyewok
Still there is only what 20 B-2's? Just the loss of a couple would be pretty catastrophic if they cant be replaced.


If the balloon goes up for real, NG will go to the warehouse or desert where they've mothballed the tooling and start refurbing it and installing it before they even get a call from the SecDef asking about it. It would take something like that to find the political will, but it could be done. They've already offered to do a run of 36 at about 700 million a pop, and they still have all the tooling.

Of course, if we really get involved in a full out conflict with China or Russia, I suspect it'd be done relatively quickly. I don't think there would be time to get them involved.







 
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