New American USAF Bomber

[JonMusser]

in this Site it seems to make case for future american Fighter the Northrop Grumman has been Contracted to build:
Classified Bomber Under Consideration | AVIATION WEEK

Northrop Grumman Built Americas last bomber the B-2 Spirt Thoughts Ideas?

Sorry Mods if there is already one on this new bomber

Jon

 

[t68]

I was not sure where to put this, as I could not find any precise thread on either the Next Generation Bomber or USAF news.

This news from DARPA (Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency) research into the Next Generation Bomber (hypersonic), I can’t really see this becoming the NGB but gives an insight to amount of R&D still going on in the US for a planned future USAF “prompt global strike” capability.

Contact lost with hypersonic glider - Yahoo!7

 

[gf0012-aust]

I was not sure where to put this, as I could not find any precise thread on either the Next Generation Bomber or USAF news.

This news from DARPA (Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency) research into the Next Generation Bomber (hypersonic), I can’t really see this becoming the NGB but gives an insight to amount of R&D still going on in the US for a planned future USAF “prompt global strike” capability.

Contact lost with hypersonic glider - Yahoo!7

The US is currently engaged in 3-4 hypersonic programs, 2 are with australia.

revenue at woomera has gone up accordingly....

 

[t68]

The US is currently engaged in 3-4 hypersonic programs, 2 are with australia.

revenue at woomera has gone up accordingly....

Is Australia an active partner in the programs or just leasing the space to outside interests?
Would RAAF be interested in the tech for the future?

 

[gf0012-aust]

Is Australia an active partner in the programs or just leasing the space to outside interests?
Would RAAF be interested in the tech for the future?

Australia is an active partner - plus we have our own programs running.

 

[ngatimozart]

I was not sure where to put this, as I could not find any precise thread on either the Next Generation Bomber or USAF news.

This news from DARPA (Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency) research into the Next Generation Bomber (hypersonic), I can’t really see this becoming the NGB but gives an insight to amount of R&D still going on in the US for a planned future USAF “prompt global strike” capability.

Contact lost with hypersonic glider - Yahoo!7

It's gone walkabout eh. Very interesting technology and a lot of problems to solve just in the materials science alone. Mach 20 in the atmosphere would make for short hops but I wonder at the energy budget to achieve such velocities. However that is how manned flight first started by somebody taking a punt and seeing what happened. Good luck to them.

 

[gf0012-aust]

It's gone walkabout eh. Very interesting technology and a lot of problems to solve just in the materials science alone. Mach 20 in the atmosphere would make for short hops but I wonder at the energy budget to achieve such velocities. However that is how manned flight first started by somebody taking a punt and seeing what happened. Good luck to them.

I think the significant impacts to come are the unmanned carriers with multi stage weapons - thats where there will be a quantum leap. at a military level, manned hypersonic flight doesn't provide as much benefit, too quick for ISR and really, the pilot for the mission set is redundant.

 

[t68]

I think the significant impacts to come are the unmanned carriers with multi stage weapons - thats where there will be a quantum leap. at a military level, manned hypersonic flight doesn't provide as much benefit, too quick for ISR and really, the pilot for the mission set is redundant.

I would have thought it could also become the modern version of SR-71 Blackbird, using an Enhanced Imaging system used by KH-13 reconnaissance satellite systems it depends on the amount of satellites available and the time to which they could cover an area by the NRO, but that’s a long way down the track at this stage.

 

[gf0012-aust]

I would have thought it could also become the modern version of SR-71 Blackbird, using an Enhanced Imaging system used by KH-13 reconnaissance satellite systems it depends on the amount of satellites available and the time to which they could cover an area by the NRO, but that’s a long way down the track at this stage.

there's minimal benefit in having high speed ISR... the good imaging is still the province of satellites - and will stay that way as field of view and metre depth improves.

 

[wormhole]

IIRC correctly, the NGB is supposed to leverage a lot of existing technologies to mitigate risk and keep a lid on costs. Around 100 are projected to be built and it would have thee option of being manned or unmanned. Hypersonic capability isn't under consideration and the aircraft will feature advanced stealth technologies to ensure survivability against future threats. Aside from onboard sensors, it will also rely heavily on offboard data streams for superior SA.

 

[moahunter]

It is interesting that the glider uses rockets derived from the Peacekeeper missiles that were never deployed. Only 114 were built, and I guess a few have been used up in testing (although maybe thats not correct, this could be new missiles based off the Peacekeepers design rather than modified existing stock). So this is an expensive strike weapon not a general purpose strike bomber, presumably designed for presidential ordered one off surgical strikes against leaders of opposing organizations or regimes.

I wonder if the glider will be human controlled real time, or rather more like a cruise missile, a fire and forget system that will travel to the target, release the payload, and return autonomously? I guess the same question can be asked of the NGB, which is presumably a more conventional aircraft per the op.

 

[wormhole]

It is interesting that the glider uses rockets derived from the Peacekeeper missiles that were never deployed. Only 114 were built, and I guess a few have been used up in testing (although maybe thats not correct, this could be new missiles based off the Peacekeepers design rather than modified existing stock). So this is an expensive strike weapon not a general purpose strike bomber, presumably designed for presidential ordered one off surgical strikes against leaders of opposing organizations or regimes.

I wonder if the glider will be human controlled real time, or rather more like a cruise missile, a fire and forget system that will travel to the target, release the payload, and return autonomously? I guess the same question can be asked of the NGB, which is presumably a more conventional aircraft per the op.

I thought the idea of using ICBMs to launch conventional munitions was deemed too provocative as they could be mistaken as constituting a nuclear first strike? Its also a costly way to blow things up.. but i can appreciate the time element.
I think the proposed USN Arclight concept should fit the bill for prompt long-range strike.

 

[moahunter]

I think the proposed USN Arclight concept should fit the bill for prompt long-range strike.

I wonder if the technology is linked somehow. The news reports are though that the current glider test program is using Peacekeeper derivative rockets:

[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minotaur_IV"]Minotaur IV - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia@@AMEPARAM@@/wiki/File:Minotaur-4-Lite_HTV-2a_1_(cropped).jpg" class="image" title="Launch of the first Minotaur IV Lite"><img alt="Launch of the first Minotaur IV Lite" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/60/Minotaur-4-Lite_HTV-2a_1_%28cropped%29.jpg/270px-Minotaur-4-Lite_HTV-2a_1_%28cropped%29.jpg"@@AMEPARAM@@commons/thumb/6/60/Minotaur-4-Lite_HTV-2a_1_%28cropped%29.jpg/270px-Minotaur-4-Lite_HTV-2a_1_%28cropped%29.jpg[/ame]

I guess the issue of ICBM launch may not be such a big deal today, simply tell china and russia just before firing.

 

[Waylander]

Well, if Russia or China would launch an ICBM into the direction of North America and call the US and tell them "No, it's just directed at some terrorists in northern Mexico...", do you think the US would just sit idle and look for the result?

DEFCON should rise intantly...

 

[moahunter]

^so you think russian defcon is increasing every time the US is firing a test right now? I doubt it.

[Mod Edit: Warning issued for repeated attempts to be obtuse. You are cleary either trolling or not very bright. Please take the trouble to read and digest considered posts before responding to them.]

 

[Waylander]

The US is not firing their test missiles into central asia...

There is a difference between firing into known test regions out at sea or within your own borders and firing an ICBM at short notice somewhere into Asia.

 

[wormhole]

I wonder if the technology is linked somehow. The news reports are though that the current glider test program is using Peacekeeper derivative rockets:

Minotaur IV - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I guess the issue of ICBM launch may not be such a big deal today, simply tell china and russia just before firing.

From what I understand, Arclight will be based on SM-3 and will deliver a relatively small 200lb warhead. The beauty is it leverages the thousands of VLS cells onboard USN ships and significantly increase the Navy's offensive punch. I don't know how small they can scale that glider though.

 

[Waylander]

It doesn't read as if the system can be used to reliably calculate the exact target of a launched ICBM just that one started and probably their general course.

And a general course to take out some target in central asia may very well be enough for the russians to raise their alert status until their ground based radars can track the incoming ICBM.

And heightened alerts with missiles flying around can very well lead to fatal mistakes. I wouldn't want to take the chance when it comes to nuclear arsenals which can destroy our civilization multiple times...

 

[My2Cents]

I thought the idea of using ICBMs to launch conventional munitions was deemed too provocative as they could be mistaken as constituting a nuclear first strike? Its also a costly way to blow things up.. but i can appreciate the time element.
I think the proposed USN Arclight concept should fit the bill for prompt long-range strike.

The Russians and Chinese would claim it is too provocative, with some justification, just to prevent it from being used.

But this is just a feasibility study at this point, possibly even proof of concept, but definitely not pre-deployment testing. There is also supposed to be a program for a naval version, but that is probably even less likely to see deployment.

 

[lucinator]

this is also just a test for handling characteristics so the US can use whatever vehicle they want to launch it, also the angle of launch and direction are very important, otherwise there would be a crisis every time the US Air Force launched a Delta from Vandenburg. Lastly the Minotaur IV uses the engine of the Peacekeeper, it is not the actual missile itself.