bombardier US

U.S. Air Force receives first operational B-2 Bomber with new radar

http://www.defpro.com/news/details/7068/

08:18 GMT, April 29, 2009 WHITEMAN AFB, Mo. | Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has delivered to the U.S. Air Force the first operational B-2 Spirit stealth bomber to be equipped with a newly modernized radar. The aircraft was officially handed off to the Air Force on March 17 at Whiteman Air Force Base, the operational home of the B-2 fleet and the 509th Bomb Wing.

Northrop Grumman is the Air Force's prime contractor for the B-2, the flagship of the nation's long range strike arsenal, and one of the world's most survivable aircraft. In July, Northrop Grumman and the Air Force will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first flight of the B-2.

"This delivery demonstrates Northrop Grumman's commitment to help the Air Force equip the B-2 fleet with the most modern radar technology," said Dave Mazur, vice president of long range strike for Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems sector. "The new radar enables the jet to perform some of the nation's most significant missions, while giving it a technological foundation for enhanced capabilities in the future."

The updated aircraft is the first of several operational B-2s that will be equipped with the new radar as part of the system development and demonstration (SDD) phase of the Air Force's B-2 radar modernization program (RMP).
The Air Force plans to use the updated aircraft to conduct additional field testing of the radar. Data gathered
from these decisions will support future fielding decisions.
In December, Northrop Grumman was awarded a $468 million contract to begin the production phase of the RMP. The contract, which includes low rate and full rate production phases, will support installation of the radar on the balance of the B-2s not involved in the SDD program.
The B-2 radar modernization program replaces the aircraft's original radar system with one that incorporates
technology improvements that have occurred since the B-2 was originally designed in the early 1980s.

Raytheon Space & Airborne Systems, El Segundo, Calif. developed the new radar hardware under contract to Northrop Grumman. The units include a new advanced electronically scanned array antenna, a power
supply and a modified receiver/exciter.
The B-2 Spirit stealth bomber is the only aircraft in the U.S. inventory that combines long range, stealth
technology, a large payload and precision weapons. It can penetrate deeply into protected airspace and hold at risk our enemies' most heavily defended targets.
In concert with the Air Force's air superiority fleet, which provides airspace control, and the Air Force's tanker fleet, which enables global mobility, the B-2 helps ensure an effective U.S. response to threats anywhere in the world. It can fly more than 6,000 nautical miles unrefueled and more than 10,000 nautical
miles with just one aerial refueling, giving it the ability to reach any point on the globe within hours.

B-1B makes impact throughout Southwest Asia due to new capabilities

http://www.defpro.com/news/details/7411/

11:43 GMT, May 13, 2009 SOUTHWEST ASIA | Before late 2008, the B-1B Lancer was known primarily as a
bomber, but since then the aircraft was modified to include the Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod now provides nontraditional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to ground forces.

"Before the B-1B was equipped with the sniper pod, we had to utilize extremely accurate coordinates from an off board source for most of our targeting solutions," said Lt. Col. Jen Fullmer, the 9th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron commander.
"We have a capability to generate coordinates with our radar but not the highly accurate coordinates that we can generate with the sniper pod," said the colonel who is deployed from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. "In addition, Sniper provides the crew fairly detailed infrared or TV image and a capability to locate and track targets, friendly positions, etc.
"Along with our legacy mission of weapons employment in a (close-air support) or interdiction role, we are now heavily engaged in missions such as (improvised explosive device) emplacement search, convoy support and armed overwatch of friendly positions," she said.
There have been instances where crews were monitoring a group of people in an area that is popular for IED placement, like an intersection, said Colonel Fullmer, a native of Wilton, Conn. They can generate accurate coordinates for the site and any other location the individuals go and pass it along to the joint termian attack
controller so everything can be investigated.
After having been in theater for 90 days, the squadron has flown more than 285 missions and has had
jets in the air for more than 3,380 hours. During that time, they have responded to approximately 170 incidents where servicemembers were in direct combat with the enemy. In many of those cases, simply the presence of a B-1B made a difference to the ground forces.

"There are times where you can tell in the JTACs' voices after we show up that they start to relax a little because they have an asset they can trust to employ precision munitions very quickly," said Maj. Sid Stegall, a 9th EBS instructor pilot. "The other thing is the enemy kind of knows what we do at this point too, so they don't want to make themselves a target that we have the ability to strike.

"There have been many instances where we haven't needed to (drop bombs) just because we are on
scene," said the major from Pine Log, Ga. "Just because we are at an altitude where they can see or hear us, they know if they continue with their actions it's not going to end well for them. So there have been a lot of situations where there has been a troops-in-contact situation and we show up and everything just kind of stops."
Prior to the Sniper pod, the B-1B could only participate in a few steps of what the Air Force calls the "kill chain," the order of actions that must occur to complete an offensive action. In some instances, the squadron didn't drop a bomb because of collateral damage concerns. In these instances, they were able to watch the ground with the Sniper pod and pass information to other weapons platforms in the area that might be better equipped to act in the situation.
"During one of our recent missions, we supported (ground troops in combat) but we did not drop weapons
because the friendly forces were engaged in a very close fire fight," Colonel Fullmer said. "Friendly forces were firing back at an enemy firing position in a small enclosure. One of the enemy soldiers escaped from the back of the building and we were able to track him with our Sniper pod, mark him with an infrared marker in order to highlight his position so a nearby Apache helicopter could suppress the threat. Since it was nighttime, we had the capability to put an infrared beam on the guy, which we call a sparkle. When someone looks through
night-vision goggles, it looks like a laser beaming from our jet down to the target. So we sparkled the (runner) and alerted an Apache, who then picked the beam up on his night-vision goggles, came in with his guns and (eliminated the threat)."

Colonel Fullmer said she thinks the B-1B will have an enduring presence in the region and will continue flying missions as long as it is still a useful asset to the ground commanders.
"One thing remains clear in the minds of my Airmen is we are here to protect those men and women who are
selflessly fighting this war on the ground in harm's way," Colonel Fullmer said.
"If we prevent one fallen comrade ceremony, or just let one Soldier get a needed hour of sleep while we are making noise overhead to keep the enemy at bay, then we have done our job. Every person on this base has an important role in successfully accomplishing this critical mission."

First flight of the 21st Century Stratofortress

http://www.defpro.com/news/details/7626/

07:59 GMT, May 25, 2009 WICHITA, Kan. | Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced the successful first flight of
a B-52 Stratofortress upgraded with Combat Network Communications Technology (CONECT), a modification that equips the legendary B-52 with 21st-century situational awareness and mission flexibility. The aircraft made the 3.5-hour flight on May 21 from the Boeing Integrated Defense Systems facility in Wichita.

“The CONECT modification gives our warfighters equal footing in a network-centric battlefield,” said Scot Oathout, Boeing director of B-52 Programs. “It is fitting that this very airplane was delivered from Boeing
Wichita in 1960 as the most advanced aircraft in the U.S. Air Force and now it’s on track to be delivered from Wichita again, transformed with a new capability for today’s mission.”

The CONECT modification installs a digital communications infrastructure in the B-52 that allows the aircraft to
communicate with the Air Force’s digital communications network and tie in with Air Force command and control centers, ground forces and other platforms. This first aircraft will leave Wichita in June to go into flight test at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. All 76 aircraft in the fleet will receive the CONECT modification after the flight test program is complete.

Boeing employees celebrated the achievement today at a ceremony that also included Air Force staff, state and local elected officials, and representatives from the city of Wichita.

"We are excited to be taking the CONECT program into the flight test phase," said Lt. Col. Darren Cochran of the Air Force's 651st Aeronautical Systems Squadron, which is responsible for the development, acquisition,
fielding, modernization and sustainment of the B-52. "I want to personally thank the men and women of The Boeing Company for their hard work and dedication to the B-52 in the past, today and in the future. Together, we continue to transform this platform for today's fight."

suite de l'article précédent.....Nouvelle mise à jour des B52 !

http://psk.blog.24heures.ch/archive/2009/05/27/nouvelle-mise-a-jour-des-b52.html

On se demande si la vraie mise à jour attendue va avoir lieu !

Celle de la motorisation ! Les 8 x P&W allaient être remplacés par 4 x RB211-535-E4§

Le contrat aurait bien été octroyé,......"sous réserve de" ....(dans le cadre d'une offre non sollicitée / 'unsolicited proposal' de Boeing) ..... mais le budget jamais alloué !

Lien :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_RB211

After being certified for the 757, the E4 was offered on the Russian Tupolev Tu-204 airliner, entering service in 1992. This was the first time a Russian airliner had been supplied with western engines.The -535E4 was also proposed by Boeing for re-engining the B-52H Stratofortress, replacing the aircraft's eight TF33s with four of the turbofans. Further upgrading of the -535E4 took place in the late 1990s to improve the engine's emissions performance, borrowing technology developed for the Trent 700.
The -535E4 is an extremely reliable engine, and achieved 180-minute ETOPS approval on the 757 in 1990.

http://www2b.abc.net.au/science/k2/stn/archives/archive33/newposts/211/topic211570.shtm

Proposals to re-engine the B-52H fleet have been under consideration since 1975. Newer, more modern engines would reduce fuel costs, extend the range, and reduce the amount of required maintenance. However, none of these proposals ever got past the paper stage. In 1996, Boeing issued an unsolicited proposal to the USAF to re-engine the B-52H fleet with Rolls-Royce RB.211-535E4-B turbofans, rated at
43,100 lb.s.t. each. The RB.211 turbofan currently powers some versions of the Boeing 747, 757 and 767 commercial transports.
According to the proposal, four Rolls-Royce turbofans would replace the set of eight TF33 turbofans currently fitted to the B-52H, with one RB.211 being mounted on each underwing pylon.

oui Sevrien, c'est une ancienne histoire, qui aurais fait du bien a cette avion, (et a l'environnement...) peut être un problème de budget, ou les militaires avait d'autres priorités.....

Boeing Wins $750M to Support the B-52H Fleet........photos sous le lien....

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/Boeing-Wins-750M-to-Support-the-B-52H-Fleet-05565/#more-5565

The Air Force is replacing Boeing’s current fleet support contract for the USA’s B-52 heavy bomber fleet, with a 10-year, $750 million firm-fixed-price Engineering Sustainment Program contract. All of the USAF’s 94
remaining B-52Hs were built at and delivered from Boeing’s Wichita, KS facility, and the ESP contract will support about 150 Boeing jobs.
Under the ESP contract, Boeing employees in Wichita, KS; Oklahoma City, OK; and at Barksdale AFB in Shreveport, LA will maintain the fleet’s readiness, handle and maintain the aircrafts’ engineering data, conduct related analyses and tests, investigate deficiencies or field issues, provide in-flight emergency
response support, and perform required hardware and software modernization and upgrade work. Unfortunately, key upgrades like fleet replacing the ancient JT3D/TF33 turbofans to improve fuel consumption, maintenance, and efficiency have failed to materialize over the years. Nevertheless…

The B-52 fleet’s availability, long time on station, and large bomb loads of precision weapons have allowed it to retain a prominent role in modern low-intensity conflicts. Modifications and upgrades continue, in order to keep the B-52s relevant and effective within lower and mid-tier threat environments.
The aircraft are still believed to have many flight hours left, but aging aircraft issues can be sudden, and no level of ESP can be assured of predicting them.
At this time, $9.6 million has been committed by the managing 327th Aircraft Sustainment Group Contracting Division at Tinker Air Force Base, OK (FA8107-09-D-0001). See also Boeing release.
As a comparative note, if the beginning of the current maintenance contract is compared with the B-52 roll-out ceremony in 1954, an equivalent period backward in time from that induction would land you in 1899 – 4 years before the Wright Brothers’ first flight.
For a more direct comparison, the period of time between the in-service induction of the current B-52H Stratofortress variant in 1961, and the beginning of the current maintenance contract, is longer than the time period between the first B-17 Flying Fortress prototype aircraft flight in 1935, and the B-52H’s
service induction. By the end of this ESP contract, the equivalent period backward from the B-52H’s induction will take you back to 1902, a year before the Kitty Hawk flights

Bonsoir à tous,

La production du nouveau radar du B-2 est complétement lancée.

Northrop Grumman Begins Full Rate Production of New Radar for B-2 Bomber

The nation's fleet of B-2 stealth bombers will all receive a new Northrop Grumman Corporation developed radar system following the U.S. Air Force's decision to authorize full-rate production of the units by the company's Radar Modernization Program (RMP).

The decision, made Oct. 16 by the assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition (acting), allows Northrop Grumman to begin fabrication of the balance of radar units needed to outfit the entire fleet. Those units will be produced as the final installment of the $468 million RMP contract awarded to the company by the Air Force in Dec. 2008.

Northrop Grumman is the Air Force's prime contractor for the B-2, the flagship of the nation's long range arsenal, and one of the most survivable aircraft in the world.

"Putting this new radar on America's flight line helps ensure that the B-2 fleet is ready day or night to protect the nation's interests worldwide," said Dave Mazur, vice president and B-2 program manager for Northrop Grumman. "The new radar also makes it easier for our modernization team to add additional mission capabilities to the jet in the future."

Northrop Grumman is currently producing radar units authorized under the RMP low rate initial production program, added Mazur. The company is also installing radar units in operational B-2s as part of the RMP system development and demonstration phase.

The B-2 radar modernization program replaces the aircraft's original radar system with one that incorporates technology improvements that have occurred since the B-2 was originally designed in the early 1980s.

Raytheon Space & Airborne Systems, El Segundo, Calif. developed the new radar hardware under contract to Northrop Grumman. The units include a new advanced electronically scanned array antenna, a power supply and a modified receiver/exciter.

The B-2 is the only U.S. aircraft that combines stealth, long range, large payload and precision weapons in a single platform. In concert with the Air Force's air superiority fleet, which provides airspace control, and the Air Force's tanker fleet, which enables global mobility, the B-2 helps ensure an effective U.S. response to threats anywhere in the world. It can fly more than 6,000 nautical miles unrefueled and more than 10,000 nautical miles with just one aerial refueling, giving it the ability to reach any point on the globe within hours.

The 20-aircraft fleet of B-2s is operated by the 509th Bomb Wing from its headquarters at Whiteman AFB, Mo.
...

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Northrop-Grumman-Begins-Full-pz-3432377909.html?x=0&.v=1

Amicalement

Bonsoir à tous,

Le B-1B avec un nouvelle avionique digitale a effectué avec succès ses premiers vols. Si le contrat définitif est signé fin 2010, ce nouveau standard devrait logiquement s'appeler Block G http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-1_Lancer#Upgrades.

Boeing B-1 With FIDL Avionics Upgrade Completes 1st Phase of Flight Test
Boeing has successfully completed the first phase of flight test for a B-1 bomber upgraded with new digital avionics. The B-1 Fully Integrated Data Link (FIDL) flight test plan for Phase 1 concluded Oct. 16; it included nine sorties performed by the U.S. Air Force at Edwards Air Force Base.
"This upgrade replaces 25-year-old avionics processing, displays and keyboards," said Eric Vanderslice, B-1 FIDL program manager for Boeing. "Those old systems have very limited functionality. It also changes the configuration of the limited display space that helps the crew perform the aircraft's mission. We are going from bulky cathode-ray-tube screens to higher-functioning flat-panel displays, giving crews more situational awareness and more space."
Phase 1 included observations of how the crew acclimated to the new configuration; temperature and vibration tests on the new hardware; and functionality tests of all the display-related software upgrades, including the new moving maps. An 8-inch by 10-inch flat-panel display shows a picture of the terrain below that changes as the aircraft moves, much like a GPS system does in a car. B-1 crews will enter their destination and flight path before departure in order for the moving map to provide a continuously updated display of the route.
Now that Phase 1 testing is complete, the B-1 aircraft will go to Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., for programmed depot maintenance. The remaining software flight-test objectives (emphasizing data link functionality) will be performed during Phase 2, which is scheduled to begin at Edwards in April 2010 and run for 10 months. The Air Force is expected to award a contract in November 2010 for the production of FIDL installation kits for the service's entire B-1 fleet.

http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1002

Amicalement

Bonsoir à tous,

En fouinant sur le site de Boeing, je suis tombé sur ces images de projets pour le futur bombardier US :





http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=13&cat=14

Et donc sur la page annonçant que Boeing et Lockheed ont décidé de faire équipe pour répondre à ce programme.

http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/2018bomber/index.html

Amicalement

Boeing et LM confirme leur alliance pour le prochain bombardier stratégique US. Boeing comme prime contractor et LM contracteur privilégié

http://boeing.mediaroom.com/Boeing-Lockheed-Martin-Team-for-US-Air-Force-Bomber-Program

le développement d'un nouveau bombardier longue portée aux US semble sur les rails, voici les budgets alloués par l'USAF:

Funding for USAF Long Range Strike goes from $259M in FY13, $359M in FY14 to $914M in FY15. #newbomber

— Stephen Trimble (@FG_STrim) 7 Mars 2014

Selon un chercheur du congrès américain, l'appel d'offres pour développer un nouveau bombardier stratégique serait une mascarade, les prototypes serait déjà en vol.

L'USAF a un budget annuel secret classifié de plus de 50 B$.

https://medium.com/war-is-boring/congress-thinks-the-air-force-already-has-a-secret-stealth-bomber-f929aa759ed

Est ce que ça serait étonnant ?
Néanmoins pour quel intérêt stratégique ou tactique ?

l'USAF aujourd'hui à propos du nouveau bombardier stratégique:

.@SecAF23 "Long-Range Strike Bomber is in early stages, program is classified, but we're on track & it will be affordable..." #GSChallenge14

— AFGSC (@AFGlobalStrike) 5 Novembre 2014

Le prochain bombardier stratégique de l'USAF sera le prochain gros appel d'offres (50 B$) américain qui pourrait changer le portrait du complexe militaro-industriel américain selon le gagnant. Ce sera en tre Northrop Grumman et Boeing/Lockheed Martin.

http://www.economist.com/news/business/21650144-three-worlds-biggest-defence-companies-are-locked-contest-could-reshape?fsrc=scn/tw/te/pe/ed/battlejoined

Boeing avec Lockheed Martin ! J'avais loupé

Donc c'est pour cette année si j'ai bien lu cet intéressant article

Le nouveau bombardier furtif américain serait beaucoup plus avancé qu’on le pense.

- Côté furtivité, il sera beaucoup plus efficace que le B-2
- Sera éventuellement capable de transporter des missiles nucléaires et de voler avec ou sans pilotes
- Le gagnant entre Northrop Grumman et Boeing/Lockheed pourrait être connu avant la fin du mois
- Les deux options sont à stade de concption beaucoup plus mature qu’à l’habitude pour un appel d’offres : essais en soufflerie et tests intensifs de survivabilité en environnement hostile.
- Il semble que les 2 concepts sont très différents

http://www.defensenews.com/story/breaking-news/2015/09/02/new-air-force-bomber-testing-stealth-wind-test/71572050/

Le prix par appareil est fixé à 550 M$ (en dollar de 2010) et le contrat sera semblable à celui du KC-46A, donc le gagnant aura intérêt à respecter les coûts.

http://aviationweek.com/LRSBpeek

Le Département de la Défense (DoD) américain a alloué des fonds pour développer un "arsenal plane" à partir d'une plate-forme existante (inconnue pour l'instant) afin de supporter le F-35 dans les zones de combat.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/dod-reveals-arsenal-plane-and-microdrones-in-budge-421516/

Un "arsenal plane" est, en gros, un avion qu'on rempli de missiles guidés air-sol. Un tel projet a presque vu le jour dans les années 80, c'était un 747-200C avec 9 chariots rotatifs contenant chacun 8 missiles de croisière AGM-86 pour un total de 72 par avion. Peut-être un moyen de booster les ventes de 747-8F, qui pourrait transporter une centaine d'AGM-86, mais les rumeurs parlent plutôt d'utiliser des B-52 ou même des C-130.

http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/why-boeings-design-for-a-747-full-of-cruise-missiles-ma-1605150371

Superbe idée, Paul, un grand merci !

J'y pensais depuis longtemps, à voir les B-52 tourner au dessus de l'Afghanistan, quel gâchis côté porteurs, si n'importe quel avion moderne  pouvait faire le même, à moitié coût !

Mais il faut un gros ventre et de l'autonomie ... hum pourquoi maintenir les B-52 !
Il y a tellement de missiles entre 500 et 1500 km d'autonomie, vraiment de quoi choisir !
Et traîner ces bazars sous l'aile, c'est loin d'être logique côté efficacité ...


Du boulot plus efficace et surtout moins cher à partir de structures de A330 ou B777, par exemple, et encore moins cher, si on part de structures d'occas ... l'arme du pauvre, ça conviendrait bien à la France (Et à d'autres, chut !)

Je me demande d'ailleurs toujours pourquoi, pour les missions actuelles, on n'a pas transformé depuis longtemps, des avions civils pour des missions de bombardement à haute altitude , au lieu de maintenir ces dinosaures de B-52 super coûteux, et avec les mêmes risques, définitivement !

J'ajoute, que certaines formes de drones pourraient faire partie de la dotation ...

Le 747-8F, avec son nez ouvrable et son cockpit surélevé, a tout de même des avantages indéniables, sans parler des 134 tonnes de charges utiles.

Tout à fait d'accord !

Plutôt l'arme du riche le B748  

Sauf si Boeing les lâche pour pas trop cher !

Dans tout les cas (B777** ou B748) on rentre dans les soutes à bombes, la pressur, et des modifs structurales pour les soutes !

** Portes devant (B748) ou dessous, s'il faut alimenter un barillet, par dessous c'est plus facile ....

Mais bon, on sait faire ... ou convertir !

Beochien a écrit:Tout à fait d'accord !

Plutôt l'arme du riche le B748  

Sauf si Boeing les lâche pour pas trop cher !

Dans tout les cas (B777** ou B748) on rentre dans les soutes à bombes, la pressur, et des modifs structurales pour les soutes !

** Portes devant (B748) ou dessous, s'il faut alimenter un barillet, par dessous c'est plus facile ....

Mais bon, on sait faire ... ou convertir !

Une sorte de "muraille de Chine".

ça cache plus que ça protège.

Casser le prix du pétrole désigne clairement l'objectif.

Intéressant

Personne n'est intéressé par concorde en bombardier stratégique ?