Ultra Stealth? Is Northrop building a secret bomber prototype?

[geetrue]

NGB demonstrator may be a twin-engine aircraft resembling an X-47B. Initial version will be piloted, but an unmanned endurance version is a probable follow-on.

It is likely that the prototype will build on technology under development for the Navy's X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstrator (UCAS-D), putting within reach USAF's goal of a 2018 initial operational capability date for the bomber.

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_generic.jsp?channel=dti&id=news/DTI-Bomber.xml&headline=Ultra%20Stealth

[Zachstar]

There is no way in hell we are going to make another manned stealth fighter or Bomber.

We can't find use for the B-2s half the time and money is tight.


No the age of piloted craft is slowly drawing to a close. Like I said the F-35 is but a parting gift to fighter pilots before they are rushed into computer training as they are phased out of their F-15s and F-16s

Sure someone is going to starting talking about "Wut about that there F-22 bomber variant?1!" But the simple fact is the F-22 is THE symbol of spending these days and that is not going to be a possible sell to congress.. Much less an easy one.


They will drop ANY talk of manned really quick here. I almost assure you that.

[baggygreen]

very snazzy looking.

hate to get a lag spike when flying one of the new unmanned vehicles..!

Actually, its just come to mind but if anyone ever figured out the frequencies that the UAVs are piloted on then it wouldn't be too tough to jam it and render them useless, would it!

[PeriscopeDepth]

They won't be "flown", for the most part. Think reusable Tomahawk missile.

PD

[baggygreen]

Yeh, but further reading on UAVs and UCAVs shows that there must be a human operator in the loop in order to ensure that only combatants etc were targetted. The drones aren't able to fire themselves, an operator must make them weapons-free.

If they're jammed, then no permission to open fire, target gets away, wasted mission..

[SUBMAN1]

There will always be manned combat aircraft.

-S

[Zachstar]

There will always be manned combat aircraft.

-S


Not for the us military. The simple fact is unmanned aircraft kick the living daylights out of manned aircraft. PERIOD. There is no "gut feeling" when one can be swatted out of the sky from a laser or particle beam cannon or barrage of railgun rounds from ranges almost beyond standard radar and far beyond stealth detectable range.

Oh and BTW if you manage to kill that toaster bastard trying to fry you with a laser there will be 100 on the way to fry you. They will pull maneuvers no human could possibly withstand and they will fry you before you know it.

It is only due to conservative thinking that manned aircraft lasted this long.

[SUBMAN1]

Not for the us military. The simple fact is unmanned aircraft kick the living daylights out of manned aircraft. PERIOD. There is no "gut feeling" when one can be swatted out of the sky from a laser or particle beam cannon or barrage of railgun rounds from ranges almost beyond standard radar and far beyond stealth detectable range.

Oh and BTW if you manage to kill that toaster bastard trying to fry you with a laser there will be 100 on the way to fry you. They will pull maneuvers no human could possibly withstand and they will fry you before you know it.

It is only due to conservative thinking that manned aircraft lasted this long.Thats pretty funny! I've been to DARPA's programs in Boeing's black buildings for a demonstration of what they do and DARPA's aircraft do not do what you way. They fly straight and level on pre-programmed missions - nothing more. They can lauch weapons, but evasive manuavers - now thats funny! They rely on stealth 100%.

And where are your lasers anyway? Takes a 747 to hold on strong enough to punch throgh the thin skin of a missile - good luck on an aircraft.

Your Star Wars days are still way far into the future kid. And due to conservative thinking, this country still exists, so thank your local conservatives. Liberals want to get rid of the weapons alltogether! :D :p

-S

[Raptor1]

Yeah, but for bombers, as long as they don't get jammed, those things could be pretty effective...

[SUBMAN1]

Yeah, but for bombers, as long as they don't get jammed, those things could be pretty effective...That is what they are intended for - bombing SAM sites. No pilot really likes that job. If you lose a machine or two doing it, no big deal.

Flexibility is still a problem with drones and always will be though.

-S

[PeriscopeDepth]

Any fixed target really, not just SAM sites.

PD

[SUBMAN1]

Any fixed target really, not just SAM sites.

PDThats true but a SAM site is a tier 1 target for them.

-S

[Zachstar]

Subman surely you have heard of the plans to put a laser of the F-35

And yes todays lasers are dinosaurs. but they are RAPIDLY falling in size.

And lol about the maneuvers. You keep believing that they are that dumb. Meanwhile bots the size of flies are being built to perform missions.

By 2030 or even 2020 the idea of a manned fighter will be silly. We are on the verge of several things today that are going to SERIOUSLY upgrade drones in the future.

CPU: Simple.. 3D transistors Also simple about possibly Quantum computing which actually exists today. They will be able to computer tactics at speeds unfathomable and at details no human can possibly learn.

Weapons: Again lasers, railguns, The enemy having bigger and better missiles. Etc..

Materials. Not in time for the F-35 are a plethora of new researched materials that will be stronger and able to withstand maneuvers on the frame WELL past the human limits. This will be even more apparent in the future.

This is not a game. We can't keep putting pilots in the seat because of some romantic idea that man must fight. Because eventually the enemy will take advantage of such.

If we are to remain the military power of the earth we MUST move on. And the .gov seems to be doing little to get in the way of that.

Why have 1 F-35 when you can have a team of 5 drones able to fly and survive longer?

And obviously subman you have trouble understanding between conservative and conservative.

[Zachstar]

Yeah, but for bombers, as long as they don't get jammed, those things could be pretty effective...

The whole idea of future drone projects is to be able to do missions on their own. So that we don't have an enemy denying forces by jamming.

And it may be a good thing anyway because we will be less encouraged to change the target when the drone can compute best targets in the area for maximum effect on the enemy.

[Zachstar]

Yeah, but for bombers, as long as they don't get jammed, those things could be pretty effective...That is what they are intended for - bombing SAM sites. No pilot really likes that job. If you lose a machine or two doing it, no big deal.

Flexibility is still a problem with drones and always will be though.

-S

100 percent bull

Flexibility is what makes drones great. Thinking otherwise is just the romantic fantasy that is not rooted in any truth at all.

UAVs can operate anywhere. A sub can launch em. A speeder can launch em. They can launch from CVNs they can operate on damaged airfields, they can operate from a road, they can operate from a soda can or operate from a pen.

They will go after sams they will hunt and kill any enemy pilot who dares attack. They will pinpoint any lasers or cannon at anything it can compute for LOTS of targets removed with less ammo.

They will zap RPGs in flight they will decimate any force trying to use cannon fodder. They will hunt enemy navies and their subs.

They will kill drug smuggling, They will locate and track people trying to enter the country unlawfully. They will end the era of police chases. They will monitor disasters.

They will decimate any landing force, They will tear apart enemy forces, etc..

[SUBMAN1]

Zachstar - you are saying 2030 here, yet you make it seem like it should have happened 50 years ago? Flip flop why don't you.

Anyway, manned fighters will be a scarcity in the coming years, but always needed. After 2015, who knows if we will even have drones? Nanotech should be online shortly after and that will chance combat, the world, and possibly life for every last person on the planet. One suitcase will be able to kill every last man, woman, and child on the planet 50 times over.

-S

[MothBalls]

CPU: Simple.. 3D transistors Also simple about possibly Quantum computing which actually exists today. They will be able to computer tactics at speeds unfathomable and at details no human can possibly learn.

You mean like the ones in the Matrix? Or Skynet? Or Wargames?

Cool, where do we sign up?

[Zachstar]

You for one welcome the robotic overlords?

And yes it ought to have happened a bit ago. There is nothing special about drone CPUs except shielding.

In 1969 a computer had enough power to calculate burns, event times and even a lunar landing. While it got its data from a landing radar.

From there it is just AI. simple calculations to say "Will I die if I go left or right?"

Did we get it? Nope we got a program that took over a decade and a half to get a fighter in the hands of pilots yet has a good amount of CPU power itself.

Sure in 2030 we may have something better. but they will be unmanned. And manned fighters will not have any use.

Yes even transport and recon units will be unmanned as well.

[SUBMAN1]

You for one welcome the robotic overlords?

And yes it ought to have happened a bit ago. There is nothing special about drone CPUs except shielding.

In 1969 a computer had enough power to calculate burns, event times and even a lunar landing. While it got its data from a landing radar.

From there it is just AI. simple calculations to say "Will I die if I go left or right?"

Did we get it? Nope we got a program that took over a decade and a half to get a fighter in the hands of pilots yet has a good amount of CPU power itself.

Sure in 2030 we may have something better. but they will be unmanned. And manned fighters will not have any use.

Yes even transport and recon units will be unmanned as well.I can see you've never experienced real AI. hahahaha!

Quit watching movies and possibly go into the field so that you can help make it a reality. Real AI is not so simple.

-S

[Zachstar]

Right and Global Warming does not exist.. Uh haaa

Manned aircraft are going away. The F-35 will be the last. Accept it.

Edit: Whopps I meant Manned US Military Aircraft. :p

[PeriscopeDepth]

Manned aircraft will always have less potential than unmanned.

And as far as AI, we are not quite there yet this minute. But give it a few years. Missiles can pull 20G maneuvers towards a target.

PD

[Zachstar]

Well of course. And the even bigger thing about it is how code is evolving for them to work better in groups.

Think about it. A long range mission from a CVN would consist of 5-6 drones with 1 of them a tanker drone that stays out of sensor range automatically. One of them can drop a multitude of scout drones to extend sensor abilities and the others can automatically attack valid targets and dodge enemy weapons fire without the mess of talking. The thought of a drone doing hard maneuvers to put cannon rounds or laser shots into a convoy or scattered troops is one I envision for these things.

So this big ole stealth bomber is gonna be a big ole drone. And it is about time!

BTW: Before you say the minidrone idea is pure fantasy. Keep in mind that we are now designing drones the size of flies. There have been jet engines no bigger than a model rocket motor. No good on endurance tho. But that is not needed when drones wont be sticking around for the enemy to move more defences in.