Categories
Quick Analysis

Russia, China, U.S. developing new long range bombers

Russia, China and the United States are developing new long range bombers.

Moscow has intensified its use of long range bombers, flying missions along both the Atlantic and Pacific American coasts.  On July 4th, two Tu-95 bombers buzzed the southern coast of Alaska. The Kremlin has significantly increased its threatening patrols since its invasion of the Ukraine in 2014.

Europe and Japan have also been subjected to the threatening patrols as well. The aircraft have on occasion turned off their transponders, causing safety concerns.

The next-generation Russian bomber is currently known as PAK-DA, according to published sources. The long-range aircraft is believed to incorporate a blended wing, and is expected to be in use in 2023.

The Diplomat reports that China is also considering developing a new long range bomber.

Rep. J. Randy Forbes,  Chairman House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower & Projection Forces, addressed the need for the U.S. to develop a new aircraft:
If you are fond of taking outside food more often during the weak, you are likely to perform.* Masturbate You probably already do this a lot in your spare time but try doing it just before you have sex because the fact that browse around address levitra samples you have ejaculated once or twice before will make the next ejaculation last a little longer in maintaining erection than the former. When the man loses all his calm and peace and when his love life is on stake then the best canada cialis solution of the disease. Some physicians associate diuretics with an increased risk of the disease happening between sixty and seventy cialis generika five years of age are overweight. The Nightforce ATACR is laced with multi-coated ED glass elements Nightforce discount viagra india ATACR rifle scopes come with a 34 mm tube.
“Long-range bomber aircraft have been a central element of America’s power projection forces since the Second World War. But after several decades of relative neglect, the Air Force’s bomber fleet is now the smallest and oldest it has ever been.  Overall, our 159 bombers have an average age of 39 years—older than most of their pilots—and less than half of the force is “mission capable” in at least one mission area. Of these aircraft, only 20 B-2s are “stealth bombers” capable of penetrating the integrated air defense systems being fielded (and exported abroad) by countries like Russia and China. Our 139 older B-1 and B-52 bombers, on meanwhile, are best suited for operating in low-threat environments and launching standoff missile strikes.  While newer multi-role fighters like the F-22 and F-35 may be able to penetrate modern defenses, they lack the range, endurance, and payload needed to operate from bases outside the range of enemy missiles and hold at risk the larger and more challenging target sets our military is likely to face in the future.

“As a result, the United States has a serious shortfall in long-range penetrating strike capability and capacity that affects our security in several important ways. First, by limiting our ability to respond promptly to aggression and hold at risk high-value targets (such as enemy leaders or weapons of mass destruction) inside defended airspace, it emboldens our strategic competitors and undermines deterrence.  Second, by that same token, it undermines the confidence of our allies and partners that we can respond rapidly and decisively if and when they are attacked. Third, it forces short-range U.S. air forces to operate from bases within the range of enemy missiles and other threats, playing to the strengths of our competitors’ anti-access strategies and imposing upon the United States the high costs of countering them.
lockheed boeing long range strike bomber…

“Fortunately, the Air Force’s long range strike program appears to be on track to deliver a next-generation aircraft that will play a key role in counter anti-access strategies and sustaining the United States’ ability to project power into contested environments for decades to come. Six years after Secretary Gates approved the program, the Air Force appears to have wisely settled on a requirement set that will meet commanders’ needs for range, payload, and survivability at a relatively affordable price.

“That last point is key. Although the LRS-B will not be inexpensive by any taxpayer’s standards, the Air Force appears to be wisely leveraging “off-the-shelf” components designed for other aircraft and “open” architectures and mission systems that can be easily upgraded. These approaches should help the winning vendor deliver and sustain the aircraft we must have at the lowest possible cost.

“Keeping that per-unit cost to a minimum will be the shared task of Congress and Air Force leadership in the years ahead. Stability in the bomber’s requirements, rate of production, and total procurement quantity will be needed to keep acquisition costs down and sustain public support for the program. Congress, for its part, must commit to protecting the nascent program from the impacts of continuing resolution and other fluctuations in the budget. The Air Force, in turn, must manage the expectations of Congress and the American people by accurately estimating and reporting the costs, as well as the benefits, of the LRS-B program. America’s new bomber will not be cheap, but it is a worthwhile and strategically-critical investment. Our nation needs a new bomber, and that bomber deserves Congress’ close scrutiny, as well as its strong support.”