Northrop bid sees testbed role for B-2

Posted on: Oct. 3rd, 2006 || Source: Flight Global | E-mail Article | Print Article

Northrop bid sees testbed role for B-2

Northrop Grumman is raising the stakes in its bid to win the US Air Force's next-generation long-range strike aircraft contest by planning to use the B-2A bomber as a flying demonstrator.

The aircraft would be used to test long-range strike technologies that could also provide future upgrades of the B-2A itself. News of the initiative comes as Northrop nears completion of the USAF’s analysis of alternatives (AoA) studies on long-range strike, which calls for a target service entry of 2018-20.

Along with Boeing and Lockheed Martin, which are also engaged in the AoA studies, the growing Northrop consensus is that the most realistic long-range strike solutions are likely to be subsonic rather than supersonic or hypersonic. However, all appear more convinced that the new platform will carry supersonic/hypersonic weapons.

“The thing that’s least achievable by 2018 is hypersonic,” says Boeing precision engagement and mobility systems vice-president Darryl Davis. “The least risk approach would be subsonic...if you want entry into service by 2018.”

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