The US Air Force says it will not need a new long-range bomber until 2034, provided it gets funds to modernise its 190 Boeing B-52s, Rockwell B-1Bs and Northrop Grumman B-2s.
Briefing Congress on its long-term bomber plan, the USAF says it will need almost $2.3 billion for improvements to keep its force viable for another 35 years. The air force is already investing almost $3.6 billion in upgrading the capability, reliability and maintainability of its bombers.
Under the plan, modernisation would cost $679 million for the B-1B, $844 million for the B-2 and $763 million for the B-52. Required near-term (2000-2010) upgrades are datalinks for the B-1B and B-2, survivable EHF satellite communications for the B-2 and electronic countermeasures improvements for the B-52.
Desired mid-term (2006-2015) upgrades are a cockpit upgrade for the B-1B, datalink and weapons databus for the B-52 and digital engine controls for the B-2. Candidate long term (2015 onwards) improvements are a B-1B radar upgrade, B-2 computer replacement and signature reduction and an inflight mission replanning capability for the B-52.
The USAF is re-activating some bombers to take its fleet to 190 aircraft by 2000 - 93 B-1Bs, 21 B-2s and 76 B-52s - 130 of which will be combat-coded. Based on attrition rates and service lives, the air force expects its fleet to fall below the 170 aircraft needed to sustain 130 combat-coded bombers by 2037.
The service is therefore projecting that it needs to start production of a new large payload, long-range, rapid-response "global attack platform" by 2034, to achieve initial operational capability in 2037. This requires work to begin in 2013, leading to concept exploration in 2016 and launch of an acquisition programme in 2019.
The USAF is studying enabling technologies for a next-generation global attack capability. Meanwhile, Air Combat Command is expected to complete a year-long Future Strike Aircraft study this year. This looks at the next medium/long-range platform.
Source: Flight International
