Message posted by Gimbal on June 06, 2014 at 2:58:41 PST:
The B52 is still going and the air frame is much the same but in reality it is no way near anything like it's original incarnation. The B2 air frame has become the template for the more recent UAV's so why try and re-invent another one? Clearly there has been many an upgrade over the course of the B2's service timeline and no doubt technologies that have been developed for the more recent aircraft has been incorporated into it.
Going forward more of the latest systems will be installed and ongoing upgrades will require a lot of this budget. Despite Humans needing sleep, food and water we still have the best computer of all the human brain so the B2 has that bit more about it than your average UAV.
I don't have time to look it up but it was said for the new bomber existing technologies would be used rather than going for something from scratch. Even NASA have seen the light and are reverting to tried and tested Saturn V technology blended with Space Shuttle SRB lifting power.
It is a good move IMHO and I doubt any enemy like the idea of a B2 loitering anywhere near them.
In Reply to: OT - Northrop wins contract to modernize and maintain B-2 posted by The Bothan Spy on June 04, 2014 at 16:17:42 PST:
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