In an interview with Vago Muradian of Defense News, Mark Gunzinger explains that the Long Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B) will fill a critical capability gap for the Air Force and anchor a future family of systems that will give the United States the ability to strike any future global target.
The carrier Ronald Reagan scrambled four armed F/A-18 Hornets Tuesday to intercept two incoming Russian bombers in a startling low altitude pass by 7th Fleet’s aircraft carrier.
Northrop Grumman beat Boeing and Lockheed Martin for a contract to develop the first USA bomber since the Cold War, a sweepstakes valued at as much as $US80 billion ($110 billion) if all 100 planes sought by the Pentagon are built. Boeing and Lockheed Martin were also competing as a team for the contract. The total backlog sits at $35.89 billion as of September 30 with $21.79 billion funded and the remaining $14.1 billion from unexercised contract options and indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity vehicles.
Boeing just lost the contract to build the Air Force’s next bomber, but the Puget Sound area could still win big chunks of bomber work. There’s ample precedent, because Boeing workers in the Seattle area built wing and fuselage structures for the current B-2 bomber and the F-22 fighter. In recognition the fourth operational B-2 was named Spirit of Washington.
A key component of US military power is to get a major upgrade. Pentagon officials said Tuesday that Northrop Grumman will build up to 100 new long-range stealth bombers for the Air Force, at a cost of $79 billion. It’s arguably the most important US military initiative in years.
The US Air Force is poised to deliver the decision of the decade, with reports that the Long-Range Strike Bomber contract award could be announced as early as 27 October. Two key steps must take place, and Bloomberg reports that the first has already taken place.
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