fastzx Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 (edited) https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usaf-reveals-northrops-b-21-long-range-strike-bombe-422459/ http://youtu.be/5LmK-mXBS6M Hmmm. Edited February 27, 2016 by fastzx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastzx Posted February 27, 2016 Author Share Posted February 27, 2016 http://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/673784/air-force-reveals-b-21-long-range-strike-bomber.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastzx Posted February 27, 2016 Author Share Posted February 27, 2016 http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-02-16/northrop-award-to-build-next-u-s-bomber-is-upheld-by-gao Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 (edited) I would like to hear an explanation why in this day and age an advanced bomber like this needs to be manned. Seems to make more sense to me to use larger numbers of smaller cheaper drones....rather than a bomber that costs more than a half billion dollars....now....I'm sure as always that figure will double or triple before any hardware sees service. I honestly think this happens because the recommendations are made by current or former pilots....and they want to preserve their status /ability to wear aviator sunglasses....and fly really cool ridiculously/prohibitively expensive combat aircraft. It seems foolish in the extreme to design an aircraft...that can simply crash...like the B-2 that was destroyed because of water in its pitot tube....that represents such an enormous concentration of limited resources. No matter how "cool" it is. And of course it's being designed by a country with a 20 trillion debt. Could there be a connection there? Edited February 27, 2016 by Bryan Tony T 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony T Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 Spot on Bryan. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastzx Posted February 27, 2016 Author Share Posted February 27, 2016 I'm getting really tired if the anti American slant of comments. I see it again and again and when anyone speaks up about it, the comments are deleted or the thread is locked down or both. The anti American bias is left intact while any rebuttal is eliminated or disparaged. It is really too bad you weren't born in, and don't live in, the greatest country in the world. You will never, ever know what it is like to be an American. As an American I am so tired of saving the world war after war and paying to rebuild other nations. The cost of the freedom you have to criticize the USA is not really free. If you are an American citizen then shame on you. If you are not then your criticism is just meaningless noise. Jon williamj 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastzx Posted February 27, 2016 Author Share Posted February 27, 2016 Anti Americanism https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Americanism Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyforgothispassword Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 I It is really too bad you weren't born in, and don't live in, the greatest country in the world. I do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peterpools Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 I completely agree with Jon. Nothing better then a trained and skilled pilot in the front office. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony T Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 I'm getting really tired if the anti American slant of comments. I see it again and again and when anyone speaks up about it, the comments are deleted or the thread is locked down or both. The anti American bias is left intact while any rebuttal is eliminated or disparaged. It is really too bad you weren't born in, and don't live in, the greatest country in the world. You will never, ever know what it is like to be an American. As an American I am so tired of saving the world war after war and paying to rebuild other nations. The cost of the freedom you have to criticize the USA is not really free. If you are an American citizen then shame on you. If you are not then your criticism is just meaningless noise. Jon There have been a lot of frayed nerves on LSP recently. Maybe the planets are in unusual alignment ? I visit the USA and love the place. My two children live there. But the US deficit is growing into an uncontrollable beast - remember what happened after 1929 when the economy imploded ? These super expensive bombers are not going to generate any exports. The F-35 will, as might new trainers which are very badly needed. The USAF does need a long range strike platform but the age of the "fighter pilot" is really at an end and a lot of strike platforms can be cheaper and more effective without a frail human onboard. Tony williamj 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Smitty44 Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 (edited) . The USAF does need a long range strike platform but the age of the "fighter pilot" is really at an end and a lot of strike platforms can be cheaper and more effective without a frail human onboard. Tony Ya Tony, but unfortunately a long range bombers primary mission is though, thank God not been neccesary, nuclear attack. I don't know anyone is ready to put a nuke on what is essentially a large R/C aircraft yet even though taking the human factor out of nuclear delivery would be beneficial to the mission. Edited February 27, 2016 by Smitty44 Tony T 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 (edited) I'm getting really tired if the anti American slant of comments. I see it again and again and when anyone speaks up about it, the comments are deleted or the thread is locked down or both. The anti American bias is left intact while any rebuttal is eliminated or disparaged. It is really too bad you weren't born in, and don't live in, the greatest country in the world. You will never, ever know what it is like to be an American. As an American I am so tired of saving the world war after war and paying to rebuild other nations. The cost of the freedom you have to criticize the USA is not really free. If you are an American citizen then shame on you. If you are not then your criticism is just meaningless noise. Jon I have to presume this was aimed at me. I am American, was born in America, and have lived here all of my 53 years. I also agree it is a great country, and I am 100% in favor of a strong military and defense industry....stronger than we have now for sure. But I do not believe in the "false patriotism" of blindly rubber stamping and supporting every decision made by those in Washington. Many such decisions are made for corrupt and/or self serving reasons, and without an honest thought of what is best for the country as a whole. On that note, I think a bomber that is going to wind up costing probably 1 billion per copy is a really bad idea, and a very unwise use of limited resources. I believe our growing deficit and general governmental corruption is a far bigger threat to the USA than any external enemy. If that makes me "Anti-American" in your mind, so be it. I too wonder why my comments were taken with such a negative political slant. Isn't there some common agreement that some of our "wonder weapons" have not been the wisest of investments? All I said was that I thought the new super-bomber was a bad idea. That's anti-American? I think the free discourse of ideas is very "American". Edited February 27, 2016 by Bryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petrov27 Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 If you are an American citizen then shame on you. If you are not then your criticism is just meaningless noise. So any criticism of a massive incredibly expensive project like this is anti-american now - fantastic. Bryan and Artful69 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Bellis Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 I have no argument in this because what I think about defense spending is biased due to my chosen profession of working for a defense contractor. However, I am curious about the reasoning behind this statement: I don't know anyone is ready to put a nuke on what is essentially a large R/C aircraft yet even though taking the human factor out of nuclear delivery would be beneficial to the mission. Is not a nuclear-capable cruise missile such as the Tomahawk with both real-time and pre-programmed flight paths exactly what you seem to think doesn't exist? Just curious is all. D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 (edited) Ya Tony, but unfortunately a long range bombers primary mission is though, thank God not been neccesary, nuclear attack. I don't know anyone is ready to put a nuke on what is essentially a large R/C aircraft yet even though taking the human factor out of nuclear delivery would be beneficial to the mission. I see your point Smitty. But most of our nuclear deterrent has for decades consisted of ballistic missiles that are not even radio controlled. Once launched they are an unstoppable bullet. Are bombers even seriously considered to be part of the nuclear deterrent anymore? I think it is all about ICBMs and more importantly SLBMs these days. I'm sure a B-1, B-2 or B-52 could still be loaded with a nuke and sent on a mission....but I am equally confident that such a mission could not happen quickly....or even promptly. I think the only air dropped nukes still in the inventory are of the "tactical nuke" variety. Weren't all the "city busters" scrapped years ago? I am not against all unmanned aircraft.....I just believe technology has reached the point where many combat aircraft can/should be remotely piloted. And I am convinced that in many cases the decision to keep a pilot in the loop is not made for the "right" reasons. Edited February 27, 2016 by Bryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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