Lockheed Martin Mystery.....

a reply to: WeOwnTheNight

The end of the year will be better.

a reply to: Sammamishman

Surely, any new bomber would be slated more or less for export to member countries that won't be allowed access to the black triangles which, of course, are multi-purpose craft that can be bombers also.

That is the only explanation I can come up with why they would build a bomber, for Heaven's sake, on the cheap. Doesn't that philosophy turn the entire concept of the B-2 and even the F-22 and F-35 on its head?

Dedicated bombers, like large warships, including even a/c carriers, were key weapons of WWII. But that time is past. Gone for the big boys. Satellites and smart missiles are the weapons of today and tomorrow.

a reply to: Aliensun

And what are you going to have carry those missiles? TacAir can carry two at the most usually. A single bomber can carry 14 or more depending on the missile.

a reply to: Aliensun


Most new a/c are mutirole...or at least all the new ones I've been a part of and with diff mix loads bombers are worth their weight both in actual mission capability and deterrent factor.

a reply to: Sammamishman

Maybe its a part of the quartz programme ( my wild guess ) , a more up to date darkstar/sensorcraft

originally posted by: Bedlam
Well, I could HOPE it was "we're rolling out our P-B11 reactor for Christmas" but I think it's going to be something...wonderful.

bedlam, 2010 is by FAR my favourite sci fi film (along with the original star wars of course)

a reply to: Bedlam

Have they made that thing small enough for an aircraft. Or is it for some " other " craft ?

Tick, tick, tick.........

The high altitude long stay vi drone perhaps
Not that anything like that exists or is overdue

a reply to: Sammamishman

Well this is pretty interesting. Whatever the announcement is it seems like they are pretty excited over at lockheed.

I imagine someone jumped the gun and put up a teaser video and the higher ups said eh don't put that up just yet. You don't have our permission to announce anything yet.

I have a feeling we all know what the August announcement is going to be. Real question is what's zaph alluding to in regards to he end of the year will be better. Maybe that fusion reactor is "ahead of schedule" from what they had anticipated. Maybe another aircraft to be declassified by one of the big corporations? I'd like to see Northrop and some of the others besides lockheed get a little attention near years end.

a reply to: BASSPLYR

LRS-B announcement in August, roll-out by end of the year.

a reply to: Northernhollow

I'm looking forward to august. Wonder if they will show the actual plane during the announcement, like a official rendering of what it will look like, or just say they have won the contract and make us wait until they do the roll out later on?

Since when did the release of new military hardware become an interactive teaser campaign?
Is this a warplane or Call of Duty 5?

Guess it's just the sign of the times that they dont have to use aviation week for everything.

Next part is an instagram post where a LM employee does the ice bucket challenge whilst wearing a strange hat that suggests an exotic planform?

a reply to: Jukiodone

Maybe they highered the marketing team for COD and want to implement more current marketing strategies to maximize their stock. Embrace more current PR strategies to better engage the way the public networks and share informmmnation these days. I mean look we're all excitedly talking about them. Half the time stock goes up and down due to murmuring by the public.

a reply to: BASSPLYR

Who wouldn't be excited, especially if your company may be awarded a multi-billion contract. As a Contracting Officer I'm curious to see how they're actually going to keep modifications within scope, considering all the talk of keeping the platform upgradable, yet cost effective. Anyone who knows contracting has seen the picture of the dingy named "contract" docked next to the luxury yacht named "change order"...

As an AV and Contracting nerd this is exciting. As a taxpayer, I am doing my darndest not to be somewhat skeptical.

This date should be easy to remember since my anniversary is in early August (or maybe it will help me remember my anniversary when the announcement is made, LOL)

a reply to: Jukiodone

It's marketing. There are already calls to cut the program below 100 aircraft because of the latest START treaty and cutting off nuclear capable bombers. They're going to do whatever it takes to generate interest.

a reply to: SonOfThor

About 85% is off the shelf hardware. Of course if the rumor I heard is right at least one of the not off the shelf components will make up for a lot of those savings. Heh.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I agree. I think its actually cool that they are using what we would consider cutting edge PR and marketing techniques. At least it shows that they have their finger on the pulse.

At their YouTube page they have a video I like, simply because of its message, called "Next Space Age Starts Now" to me that says they have also been hard at work in that arena too. Would be cool to see what they are working on. Final shot is of mars which I thought was interesting.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Touché - all that black budget money has to go somewhere other than the reverse engineered flying black triangles...

a reply to: Zaphod58

That plus off the shelf doesn't necessarily mean which shelf. The one in the front of the warehouse that says run of the mill aircraft parts? Or the shelf hidden in the back that has signs that say "parts for - (black Sharpie redacted name)?"