(Amerika) United States Air Force (USAF)

[Nightwatch]

Es gibt Neuigkeiten zum für 2018 geplanten nächsten strategischen Bomber der US Air Force:

Northrop Grumman hat 2 Milliarden US-$ erhalten um auf der Basis des X-47B einen neuen Prototypen zu entwickeln.

Die Spezifikationen für den Next Generation Bomber sin ja bekannt:

-Subsonic max speed
- combat radius of 2,000+ miles
- Weapons load of 14,000-28,000 lb
- Ability to "survive in hostile airspace for extended time"
- Nuclear weapon capability
- Designed to use off-the-shelf propulsion, C4ISR, and radar technologies

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Interessant dabei insbesondere folgender Absatz:

RCS test facilities across the U.S. have been upgraded since the F-22 and B-2 were designed: USAF's range at Holloman AFB, N.M., was reequipped to handle bistatic measurements, and a sophisticated airborne RCS measurement program based on a modified 737 was delivered in 2001.

How low can LO go? One paper, co-authored by a principal in DenMar Inc., the company founded by Stealth pioneer Denys Overholser, refers to the development of fasteners for a body with an RCS of -70 dB./sq. meter -- one-thousandth of the -40 dB. associated with the JSF, and one-tenth that of a mosquito. DTI queried RCS engineers who don't believe such numbers are possible; but then, when mention of a -30 dB. signature leaked out in a 1981 Northrop paper, nobody believed that either.

Stealth hat also weiterhin unglaubliches Potential.