Message posted by Magoo on May 16, 2001 at 20:28:58 PST:
They're interesting concepts, although coming from the pen of Steve Douglass, and being published in Pop Sci, (both sources of questionable credibility in the past), one must wonder just how real they are! I know it's been said many times before over the past 40-50 years, but I truly believe the days of the manned bomber are numbered! If they can send a UAV the size of Global Hawk half way round the world from Edwards to a perfect three-point landing in Australia, and fly it with a joy stick from a converted shipping container on the Edwards ramp, imagine what they will be able to do in 20-30 years time with an ultra-LO platform carrying a single or multiple 'special' or precision conventional warhead/s! Why spend all that money (and extra weight) to fit an aircraft with all the expensive environmental controls that Human Beings require!? There are advantages to having a US based hypersonic capability as, if the missile defence shield is successfully deployed, forward bases are likely to be close to the first taken out in a major 'exchange'! However, there is really no (theoretical) reason why this cannot also be an unmanned platform. Magoo
In Reply to: B-3 and Beyond posted by Jose on May 16, 2001 at 13:46:08 PST:
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