War Developing and Upcoming Military Technology - Something new at least 3 times a week.

BONE_Buddy · Jul 14, 2020

New B-52 Training, I guess home VR is actually useful for something.

Revolutionizing Aircrew training through virtual reality

A new virtual reality trainer is one step closer to potentially transforming the way B-52 Stratofortress student pilots train for combat. The Virtual Reality Procedures Trainer, released during a

www.307bw.afrc.af.mil

Revolutionizing Aircrew training through virtual reality

U.S. Air Force Maj. Justin Stephenson, 11th Bomb Squadron Chief Pilot and Chief of Innovations, practices with the Virtual Reality Program Trainer at StrikeWerx in Bossier City, Louisiana, July 7, 2020. The VRPT uses virtual reality technology to improve instruction for B-52 Stratofortress student-pilots. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Ted Daigle)

U.S. Air Force Maj. Justin Stephenson, 11th Bomb Squadron Chief Pilot and Chief of Innovations, works the hand controller of the Virtual Reality Program Trainer at StrikeWerx in Bossier City, Louisiana, July 7, 2020. The VRPT demonstration was given to an audience of civilians and Airmen from Air Force Global Strike Command, 307th Bomb Wing and 2nd BW. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Ted Daigle)

U.S. Air Force Maj. Mark Budgeon, assigned to Air Force Global Strike Command, addresses an audience gathered for a milestone demonstration of the Virtual Reality Program Trainer at StrikeWerx in Bossier City, Louisiana, July 7, 2020. The VRPT is designed to provide on-demand training access to B-52 Stratofortress student pilots. It is part of a proposed learning management system to potentially optimize training for all B-52 aircrew. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Ted Daigle)

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --

A new virtual reality trainer is one step closer to potentially transforming the way B-52 Stratofortress student-pilots train for combat.

The Virtual Reality Procedures Trainer, released during a milestone demonstration of its capabilities July 7 at StrikeWerx in Bossier City, Louisiana, may even change the entire Air Force bomber community’s approach to training.

The VRPT is the brainchild of Maj. Mark Budgeon, currently assigned to Air Force Global Strike Command, Maj. Brandon Wolf, 307th Operations Support Squadron and Maj. Justin Stephenson, 11th Bomb Squadron Chief Pilot and Chief of Innovations.

“Our adversaries are getting much better, much faster,” said Budgeon. “This system has the potential to revolutionize the entire training process and make our student graduates better.”

The three Airmen teamed up with King Crow Studios, a virtual reality training company from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to develop it as part of a larger learning management system that uses virtual reality with an embedded instructor to teach and grade B-52 student pilots.

Members of the 307th Bomb Wing, 2nd BW and Air Force Global Strike Command watched as a demonstrator from King Crow Studios put on virtual reality goggles to access a 360-degree, virtual replica of the jet’s cockpit.

The demonstrator was able to practice going through the entire ground procedures checklist just as a student pilot would prior to take-off.
During the demonstration, Budgeon, an active-duty Airman, and Wolf, a Reserve Citizen Airman, explained several ways the VRPT can improve current training practices.

Practice makes perfect

The main advantages of the VRPT are its potential to reduce human bias in instruction, provide better access to training for student pilots, and give students immediate feedback that lessens the chance they develop poor habits in the early phases of training.

Wolf explained that current technology used in student pilot training limits hands-on training opportunities. Due to logistical concerns, student pilots don’t have 24-hour access to instructors or training tools.

The VRPT has the potential to eliminate that problem.

It employs virtual reality goggles, a computer and two hand controls. These portable items can be used almost anywhere to generate the virtual B-52 cockpit.

“It would be accessible to them all the time, so they can take it home and practice,” said Wolf. “They become familiar with it, and we won’t get that deer-in-headlights moment when they first get in the simulator or B-52.”

The program also has the capacity to collect data on student performance with time stamps that show speed and errors. That data can be used by instructors to provide immediate feedback.

“It catches mistakes early on a human might miss so that instructors can create a process for correcting them,” said Wolf.

The three pilots also stressed ease of use with the new system.

“Its operating system in intuitive, so all we have to is hand it to them and say ‘go’,” said Budgeon.

King Crow Studios is scheduled to produce a complete VRPT prototype later this year.

Budgeon, Wolf and Stephenson hope the trainer moves into the third phase of the contracting process and is adopted by the 307th Bomb Wing to train all incoming B-52 student pilots for the Air Force.

If adopted, the three Airmen are eager to press forward with similar trainers for the jet’s weapons systems officers and electronic warfare officers.

Cody Louviere, King Crowe Studios’ founder, expressed optimism the three Airmen’s vision for the future will become reality.

“We can do anything in this environment,” said Louviere regarding the training capacity of virtual reality. “We are here at the right time because the technology is advancing exponentially.”
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Any jokes aside about how it is going to be a knock-off DCS clone, this is actually a pretty good idea if the cyber security is there. Having more flexibility in training is always a good thing.

Roybertitos · Jul 14, 2020

BONE_Buddy said:
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/34704/american-surveillance-aircraft-have-been-flooding-into-the-airspace-south-of-taiwan
American Surveillance Aircraft Have Been Flooding Into The Airspace South Of Taiwan (Updated)
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Online flight tracking software has shown a notable uptick in U.S. military aerial activity in the strategic Bashi Channel, which runs from the southern end of Taiwan to the northern tip of the island of Luzon in the Philippines, in recent weeks. A steady stream of U.S. Air Force KC-135 tankers has been seen flying in and out of this general area, which serves the main boundary between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea. Particularly noteworthy, clusters of P-8A Poseidon and P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft, and EP-3E Aries II and RC-135V/W Rivet Joint intelligence-gathering planes having also been observed operating there on many occasions over the last month or so.

Just today, an RC-135W and a KC-135T were spotted flying in the area. Yesterday, an EP-3E and three separate P-8As flew in and around the channel. The day before that, a P-8A, a P-3C, an EP-3E, and an RC-135W had all been present at various times, with at least one KC-135R flying in support of the activity there.

https://twitter.com/SCS_PI/status/1281189636581154821
USAF RC-135W is leaving the #SouthChinaSea around 18:40, whose coming trajectory is unclear, while USAF tanker KC-135T was detected in the same airspace earlier this day around 10:00, implying that the former might have come since then, July 9.
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https://twitter.com/SCS_PI/status/1280685633321631749
US Navy EP-3E (#AE1D91), again, approached the offshore airspace over Guangdong, as close as about 50nm, July 8. On the late evening of July 7 and early morning of July 8, three P-8As were also spotted near #BashiChannel. (one around 22 pm, another 3 am, the other 5 am)
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https://twitter.com/SCS_PI/status/1280452469923835904
1 EP-3E,1 P-3C, 1 P-8A, 1 RC-135W and 1 KC-135R, July 7. Also some reminders for media : 1) The US military conducts 3 to 5 sorties to the #SouthChinaSea every day, but not every time brings big news. 2) We collect and share this data for research purposes, not for making news.
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"The US military conducts 3 to 5 sorties to the #SouthChinaSea every day," the SCS Probing Initiative noted in a Tweet on July 7. China's Peking University in Beijing hosts the SCS Probing Initiative, which is, perhaps unsurprisingly, one of the most active entities tracking American military aviation activity, as well as that of U.S. military ships, in the South China Sea and elsewhere in the Pacific. The project does also tracks other countries' military activities in the region, too.

Still, there does seem to have been a notable increase in U.S. military aerial activity in this one particular area since the end of June. One of the first major conflagrations came on June 24, when two P-8As, a P-3C, and an RC-135W were tracked in the Bashi Channel. Another major cluster aircraft, including 4 P-8As, an EP-3E, an RC-135W, and at least two KC-135s, also appeared in the area on July 3. In the intervening days, the SCS Probing Initiative watched smaller numbers of intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance aircraft regularly move through the region, including one of the Air Force's two RC-135U Combat Sent electronic intelligence aircraft.

https://twitter.com/SCS_PI/status/1275773816782741504
A total of four U.S. surveillance aircraft were operating near the #Bashi Channel from early morning till late afternoon on June 24. What a busy day! 2 P-8As, 1 P-3C and 1 RC-135W.
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https://twitter.com/SCS_PI/status/1277460846822608898
Very intense reconnaissance by EP-3E and RC-135U. It seems that RC-135U is going back, leaving a tortuous flight path, June 29.
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USN EP-3E #AE1D8A is patrolling the #SouthChinaSea, USAF RC-135U #AE01D5 is heading for #SouthChinaSea from #Kadena, June 29.
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https://twitter.com/SCS_PI/status/1279025811446624258
On, July 3, the US military just set a recent record for reconnaissance in the #SouthChinaSea today. A total of 6 large reconnaissance aircraft including 4 P-8As, 1 EP-3E and 1 RC-135W, plus 2 refuelling tankers. Maybe there were more which could not be seen with open source.
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It's not clear what the exact reasons for this might be, but it is likely due to a confluence of factors.

Beginning in June, the People's Liberation Army Navy has conducted a number of significant naval exercises in the region. The PLAN's newest aircraft carrier, the Shandong, has taken part in at least some of those drills.

Then, at the beginning of July, the U.S. Navy sent two of its own Nimitz class aircraft carriers, the USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan, into the South China Sea, the first dual-carrier exercise it had held there in some six years. Ticonderoga class cruisers and Arleigh Burke class destroyers escorted the flattops and American submarines would have been in the area keeping watch, as well. The two carriers' air wings trained together, as well as with a U.S. Air Force B-52 that had flown all the way to the area from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. The bomber landed on Guam after the conclusion of its long-range training mission.

View attachment 1442568
{ An Air Force B-52 bomber flies together with Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers, and E-2 Hawkeye in the South China Sea in July 2020. }

The U.S. military has a clear interest in simply monitoring the Chinese drills in the region, as well as looking to gather any kind of intelligence about the technical capabilities of People's Liberation Army Navy aircraft and ships taking part and their tactics, techniques, and procedures. Similarly, observing how the Chinese military responds to American military maneuvers offers its own opportunities to gather additional intelligence.

The U.S. aircraft have been flying in the area in recent weeks are certainly equipped to collect a wide variety of information, from full-motion video via electro-optical and infrared cameras on the P-8As and P-3Cs to a host of signals and electronic intelligence via the sensors suites on the EP-3Es and RC-135s. The P-8As have significant SIGINT capabilities, as well. Depending on their configuration, P-8As and P-3Cs can carry powerful radar imaging systems, too.

China's response to the relatively rare dual-carrier exercise, in particular, was no doubt especially significant and would have provided a unique intelligence-gathering environment. Ensuring that the two carriers were able to operate in the South China Sea unmolested could easily have also driven requirements for additional intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions. Wanting to make sure opposing submarines, especially, did not get too close to the carrier strike groups would have called for the dedicated anti-submarine warfare capabilities of the P-8As and the P-3Cs, as well.

https://twitter.com/globaltimesnews/status/1279348624812470273
Look! China's Southern, Northern and Eastern Theater Commands held naval drills in the #SouthChinaSea, Yellow Sea and East China Sea, respectively, with the participation of 054A frigates & 052D guided missile destroyers.
ykdMVURy98wQam_i.mp4

Beyond these more immediate events in and around the South China Sea, there's definitely no shortage of potential items of interest for the U.S. military to point those sensors at in this region. The Bashi Channel serves as an important passageway from the South China Sea in the broader Pacific to the East, including for Chinese submarines. Earlier this year, there were reports that the PLAN had deployed two new Type 094 Jin class ballistic missile submarines, which would have brought the total size of the fleet to six subs.

The Type 094s are all are based at the sprawling Yulin Naval Base on Hainan Island in the northern end of the South China Sea. In May, a specially-configured P-8A carrying the powerful and secretive AN/APS-154 Advanced Airborne Sensor radar pod was observed flying around Hainan Island, including in international waters near Yulin. Chinese submarines, especially those packing ballistic missiles, would traverse the greater Luzon Strait after leaving their base on Hainan Island to move into the far less congested Philippine Sea and out into the greater Pacific. As such, this area is a critical submarine-hunting ground and natural choke point.

View attachment 1442582
{ A P-8A equipped with the AN/APS-154 Advanced Airborne Sensor, as indicated by the red arrow. }

The activities of China's submarine fleets, which are growing in overall size and seeing the introduction of more modern designs, have been a major area of focus for the U.S. military and its allies in recent years. In June, the Japanese government took the unusual step of publicly disclosing that it had tracked a likely Chinese submarine sailing submerged in international waters between Amami-Oshima Island and Yokoate Island, which are situated to the north of Okinawa in the East China Sea.

All of this comes as U.S.-Chinese relations are at a particularly low point due to a host of issues, including the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. Authorities in Beijing recently imposed a new heavy-handed security law on Hong Kong, which has prompted the U.S. government, among others, to reassess its relationship with that semi-autonomous region. China's leaders have also taken an increasingly aggressive stance toward Taiwan in recent years, as officials in Taipei have sought to distance the island more from the mainland.

Though the United States does not have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, it nonetheless remains its principal ally and has responded to the pressure from Beijing by stepping its own Freedom of Navigation Patrols (FONOPS) in the Taiwan Strait, with aircraft and warships taking part in those operations. In early June, a Navy C-40A passenger transport took an unusual route over the island itself. Later in the month, the U.S. Army released rare video footage of Green Berets training with their Taiwanese counterparts.

There are no clear indications that the overall geopolitical situation in the region is set to take a more positive course in the near future, so it seems probable that we will see more U.S. military activity in this strategic area in the weeks and months to come.

Update: 4:45 PM EST—

Bloomberg is reporting that President Donald Trump's Administration is expected to make a major policy announcement regarding tensions with China in the South China Sea next week.

"The U.S. has raised concerns over China’s decision to conduct military exercises in the contested waters around the Paracel Islands," according to Bloomberg. "The Defense Department last week called the actions “unlawful,” and the U.S. plans to lay out its official position next week, said one of the people who spoke on condition of anonymity."

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First of all, it is hilarious the the Chinese are complaining about the US conducting activities just outside the Chinese borders when the Chinese themselves are actively encroaching on all their neighbor's territory.

Secondly, this should tell people just how intently we are watching and tracking Chinese forces.

Thirdly, that's a lot concentrated recon power.

Ya know I heard rumors that there was a US drone that was spotted flying around in a city down south. I had figured that it was just an exaggeration or bullshit, but seeing this article and how close Taiwan is to the Philippines on that map, it kinda clicks. They prolly stopped by to refuel or something, that's pretty cool.

Edit: Found a news source reporting on it:
EDIT 2: Scratch that the news source was bullshit, idk anymore haha

BONE_Buddy · Jul 14, 2020

https://breakingdefense.com/2020/07/navy-inks-deal-for-new-unmanned-fleet/

Navy Inks Deal For New Unmanned Fleet
The $34 million deal marks the service's first real thrust to get unmanned ships into the water, despite Congressional worries the service is moving too fast.

WASHINGTON: Despite deep and bipartisan skepticism from Capitol Hill over its plans to build three new classes of unmanned warships, the Navy went ahead today with its plans to begin building as many as 40 Medium Unmanned Surface Vessels.

The service awarded L3 Technologies Inc. a $34.9 million contract for a prototype MUSV, along with an option for up to eight additional ships. If the company builds those eight unmanned ships, the contract will be worth $281 million through June 2027.

Overall, the Navy wants to build about 40 MUSVs in coming years, which will clock in at between 45 to 190 feet long, with displacements of roughly 500 tons. The medium ships are thought to skew more toward mission modules revolving around intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance payloads and electronic warfare systems.

In their versions of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, however, both the House and Senate told the Navy to slow down on its acquisition of some unmanned ships, specifically the Large Unmanned Surface Vessel. Both documents boost Congressional oversight over the LUSV, an ambitious new ship the Navy hoped to begin building in 2023.

While the MUSV will focus on gathering intelligence, the LUSV will act as a forward-deployed missile launcher, bristling with missile tubes and other weapons, Navy planners have said.

Lawmakers are looking to ensure the Navy finalizes its design and operational plans before building the larger ship, something the service has struggled with as it built other classes such as the Littoral Combat Ship, the Ford class of aircraft carriers, and the Zumwalt destroyers, all of which fell behind schedule, went over budget and struggled with new technologies.

“USVs are one of the centerpieces of distributed maritime operations,” Rear Adm. Casey Moton, head of the Unmanned and Small Combatants office, said last month at a U.S. Naval Institute event. The ships will act as platforms to enable the fleet to spread out and counter China’s ambitions in the Pacific either as a forward screen for a carrier strike group or as vessels pressed forward with an acceptable risk of attrition.

The Navy hasn’t yet fully prepared to deploy or sustain a new fleet of unmanned vessels, Capt. Pete Small, program manager for unmanned maritime systems said in May. “Our infrastructure right now is optimized around manned warships,” Small said. “We’re gonna have to shift that infrastructure for how we prepare, deploy, and transit” over large bodies of water before the navy begins churning out unmanned ships in greater numbers, he added.
__________________________________________
If this can actually be implemented, it would be great. Being able to have vessels that are "light," unmanned and therefor half-way expendable, and relatively cheap vessel that can be heavily forward deployed as sort of screening, recon, and decoy force is just what the Navy needs.

Roybertitos said:
Ya know I heard rumors that there was a US drone that was spotted flying around in a city down south. I had figured that it was just an exaggeration or bullshit, but seeing this article and how close Taiwan is to the Philippines on that map, it kinda clicks. They prolly stopped by to refuel or something, that's pretty cool.

Edit: Found a news source reporting on it:

VIDEO: Opening of the First World-Class Themed Waterpark in the Philippines Seven Seas Waterpark Aerial Coverage

Aerial coverage highlights of the soft opening weekend of Seven Seas Waterpark and Resort last October 28-29, 2017 in 4K. Seven Seas Waterpark is the first world-class themed waterpark in the Philippines. There are over 20

www.projectlupad.com

That is very possible, but do not discount the idea that this could be a PAF drone. The PAF has had several of the Israeli made Elbit Hermes 900 aircraft delivered for its use. It has a shape very reminiscent of a MQ-9 Reaper, but it is smaller.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elbit_Hermes_900

https://www.uasvision.com/2020/06/30/philippines-expect-delivery-of-final-six-hermes-900/

BONE_Buddy · Jul 14, 2020

Pilot Ejects From F-16 During Landing At Holloman Air Force Base In New Mexico

It's the second loss of an F-16 for the base in less than a year and comes after a string of major Air Force mishaps over the last 60 days.

www.thedrive.com

Pilot Ejects From F-16 During Landing At Holloman Air Force Base In New Mexico
It's the second loss of an F-16 for the base in less than a year and comes after a string of major Air Force mishaps over the last 60 days.

Details are very limited at this time, but an F-16 flying out of Holloman Air Force base located near the town of Alamagordo, New Mexico, crashed during landing. The good news is the pilot ejected and survived, but is being treated for injuries that are supposed to be fairly minor.
A press release from the 49th Wing's Facebook page reads:

A U.S. Air Force F-16C Viper assigned to the 49th Wing crashed during landing at Holloman AFB at approximately 1800 MDT today. The sole pilot on board successfully ejected, and is currently being treated for minor injuries. Emergency response teams are on scene at this time.

An investigation conducted by aboard of qualified officers is underway to determine the cause of the incident.
Additional details will be released as they become available.

F-16s belonging to the 49th Wing are used to train F-16 pilots.

The incident is one in a troubling string of crashes over the last two months. Just 12 days ago, another USAF F-16 crashed at Shaw AFB during landing. The pilot died in that incident. In the six weeks prior to the Shaw AFB crash, the Air Force lost an F-15C and its pilot, as well as an F-35A and an F-22A. Major mishaps also occurred involving a C-130 and another F-35A. So, suffice to say that the last couple of months have been unfortunate for the U.S. Air Force in terms of flight safety.

It's worth noting that Holloman AFB lost another F-16 last October on a night training sortie. The pilot survived that mishap, as well.

We will update this post when more information comes available.
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At least the pilot is safe.

BONE_Buddy · Jul 14, 2020

Last major article here until tomorrow.... probably.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/34804/here-is-our-first-look-at-one-of-boeings-new-f-15ex-eagle-fighter-jets-for-the-air-force

Here Is Our First Look At One Of Boeing's New F-15EX Eagle Fighter Jets For The Air Force
Air Force just awarded Boeing a contract worth nearly $23 billion related to these aircraft, which includes the purchase of the first lot.

The Air Force has released the first picture of one of its new Boeing F-15EX Eagle fighter jets now under construction. This coincides with the service awarding the Chicago-headquartered plane maker a contract worth nearly $23 billion for work on these jets, $1.2 billion of which will go to the delivery of the first lot of eight aircraft.

The Air Force announced the deal on July 13, 2020. Additional information about the contract was also included in the Pentagon's daily contracting notice.

The full contracting announcement from the Pentagon is as follows:

"The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a $22,890,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (FA8634-20-D-2704). The first delivery order has been awarded as an undefinitized contract action with a total not-to-exceed value, including options, of $1,192,215,413. It is a cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-plus-incentive-fee, fixed-price-incentive-fee, firm-fixed-price effort for the F-15EX system. This delivery order (FA8634-20-F-0022) provides for design, development, integration, manufacturing, test, verification, certification, delivery, sustainment and modification of F-15EX aircraft, as well as spares, support equipment, training materials, technical data and technical support. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri; and at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and is expected to be completed Dec. 31, 2023. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $248,224,746; and fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $53,000,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity."

Congress approved funding for a total of eight F-15EX's in the Fiscal Year 2020 defense budget. The aircraft that is seen in the picture that the Air Force has now released shows that it carries the serial number 20-0001, indicating that it is the very first aircraft that the service has purchased in this current fiscal cycle. A second example is also under construction, according to Boeing.

https://twitter.com/BoeingDefense/status/1282798276895543302

Thank you, @USAirForce, for continuing the #F15 legacy. We look forward to building the first of many #F15EX aircraft to join your fleet.

The Air Force has requested money to buy an additional 12 aircraft in the 2021 Fiscal Year and hopes to purchase a total of 76 F-15EXs over the five-year Future Years Defense Program. The service's full F-15EX fleet could eventually comprise 144 jets.

The Pentagon's contracting notice notably makes no specific mention about the procurement of engines for any of these aircraft. On June 30, the Air Force awarded a separate contract to General Electric for an unspecified number of F110-GE-129 engines to power at least some of the initial batch of F-15EXs, citing an "unusual and compelling urgency."

The Air Force had planned to power all of its F-15EXs with F110-GE-129s, but is now preparing to hold an open competition to select an engine type after it became apparent that Pratt & Whitney would protest any sole-source award to General Electric. Pratt & Whitney is expected to submit its F100-PW-229 engine as an alternative. You can read more about the issues surrounding the selection of the F-15EX's engines in this recent War Zone piece.

{ An artist's conception of a pair of F-15EXs. }

“The F-15EX is the most affordable and immediate way to refresh the capacity and update the capabilities provided by our aging F-15C/D fleets,” General Mike Holmes, head of Air Combat Command, also said. “The F-15EX is ready to fight as soon as it comes off the line.”

"When delivered, we expect bases currently operating the F-15 to transition to the new EX platform in a matter of months versus years," he added.

"Pilots and mechanics currently operating the F-15 anticipate transitioning to the F-15EX in a matter of days as opposed to years," Boeing said in its press release.

The first eight F-15EX aircraft will be based at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, and they will initially support testing efforts. The delivery of the first two aircraft is scheduled for the second quarter of Fiscal Year 2021, which begins on Jan. 1, 2021. The remaining six aircraft are scheduled to arrive in the 2023 Fiscal Year. The Air Force is using the Strategic Basing Process to determine the fielding locations for subsequent aircraft lots.

"We are capable of delivering two jets by the end of 2020 assuming a timely contract award," Prat Kumar, Boeing’s Vice President and Program Manager for F-15, had said in December. While the 2020 Fiscal Year defense budget had given the Air Force the funding that it had sought for the first F-15EXs, the subsequent Appropriations Act that Congress passed stipulated that the service could only procure two F-15EX prototypes plus long-lead items associated with the remaining six fighters until a report detailing its acquisition, test and evaluation, logistics, and post-production fielding strategies – along with cost and schedule estimates – had been submitted to the House and Senate defense committees.

"The F-15EX is the most advanced version of the F-15 ever built, due in large part to its digital backbone," Lori Schneider, Boeing's F-15EX Program Manager said in a statement regarding the new contract award. “Its unmatched range, price, and best-in-class payload capacity make the F-15EX an attractive choice for the U.S. Air Force.”

A key difference between the F-15EXs and the older F-15C/Ds they are slated to replace lies in the former's Open Mission Systems (OMS) architecture. The OMS architecture will enable the rapid insertion of the latest aircraft technologies. The F-15EX will also have fly-by-wire flight controls, a new electronic warfare system, advanced cockpit systems, and the latest mission systems and software capabilities available for legacy F-15s. You can read more about the F-15EX and its capabilities in these past War Zone pieces.

{ US Air Forces F-15C Eagles. }

“The F-15EX’s digital backbone, open mission systems, and generous payload capacity fit well with our vision for future net-enabled warfare,” Will Roper, the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics said. “Continually upgrading systems, and how they share data across the Joint Force, is critical for defeating advanced threats. F-15EX is designed to evolve from day one.”

In addition to simply being a replacement for the Air Force's existing F-15C/Ds, the F-15EX will also be able to act as a weapon truck and be able to carry the kind of large hypersonic weapons that are in development, but that will not fit inside a fifth-generation fighter weapons bay. This is something Boeing specifically highlighted in its press release regarding the new Air Force contract. "The F-15EX carries more weapons than any other fighter in its class and can launch hypersonic weapons up to 22 feet long and weighing up to 7,000 pounds," the statement said.

With the heavy emphasis on its OMS architecture, the Pentagon is also using the F-15EX as a "pathfinder" program for its "DevSecOps Initiative, aimed at developing secure, flexible and agile software," Boeing said.

All told, the F-15EXs, the first two of which Boeing is building now, promise to bring new and impressive capabilities to the Air Force in the coming years.

NOTE: There is conflicting information about whether the photo at the top of this story is actually of an F-15EX. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch has the same photograph in their report with the following caption: "F-15EX decals affixed to F-15QA4 jet in Building 67, Final Assembly_St. Louis, MO. Purpose of the photo is to show aircraft readiness to our USAF customer (F-15EX contract award). MSF20-0024 Series."

However, an official Boeing Tweet features this picture and also says "We’ve already begun construction of the first two #F15EX jets." In addition, the Air Force's official news item on the new contract includes this photo, but does not say one way or another whether it shows an F-15EX.

We have reached out to Boeing for clarification.

NOTE 2: Boeing has confirmed to The War Zone that this picture shows F-15EX-1, the first F-15EX for the U.S. Air Force, under construction.

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I really like the F-15. it is probably my second favorite aircraft, being trailed close behind by the B-36. No points for guessing my favorite aircraft.

Too Many Catgirls · Jul 14, 2020

BONE_Buddy said:
New B-52 Training, I guess home VR is actually useful for something.

Revolutionizing Aircrew training through virtual reality

A new virtual reality trainer is one step closer to potentially transforming the way B-52 Stratofortress student pilots train for combat. The Virtual Reality Procedures Trainer, released during a

www.307bw.afrc.af.mil

Revolutionizing Aircrew training through virtual reality
View attachment 1447446
U.S. Air Force Maj. Justin Stephenson, 11th Bomb Squadron Chief Pilot and Chief of Innovations, practices with the Virtual Reality Program Trainer at StrikeWerx in Bossier City, Louisiana, July 7, 2020. The VRPT uses virtual reality technology to improve instruction for B-52 Stratofortress student-pilots. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Ted Daigle)
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U.S. Air Force Maj. Justin Stephenson, 11th Bomb Squadron Chief Pilot and Chief of Innovations, works the hand controller of the Virtual Reality Program Trainer at StrikeWerx in Bossier City, Louisiana, July 7, 2020. The VRPT demonstration was given to an audience of civilians and Airmen from Air Force Global Strike Command, 307th Bomb Wing and 2nd BW. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Ted Daigle)
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U.S. Air Force Maj. Mark Budgeon, assigned to Air Force Global Strike Command, addresses an audience gathered for a milestone demonstration of the Virtual Reality Program Trainer at StrikeWerx in Bossier City, Louisiana, July 7, 2020. The VRPT is designed to provide on-demand training access to B-52 Stratofortress student pilots. It is part of a proposed learning management system to potentially optimize training for all B-52 aircrew. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Ted Daigle)

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --

A new virtual reality trainer is one step closer to potentially transforming the way B-52 Stratofortress student-pilots train for combat.

The Virtual Reality Procedures Trainer, released during a milestone demonstration of its capabilities July 7 at StrikeWerx in Bossier City, Louisiana, may even change the entire Air Force bomber community’s approach to training.

The VRPT is the brainchild of Maj. Mark Budgeon, currently assigned to Air Force Global Strike Command, Maj. Brandon Wolf, 307th Operations Support Squadron and Maj. Justin Stephenson, 11th Bomb Squadron Chief Pilot and Chief of Innovations.

“Our adversaries are getting much better, much faster,” said Budgeon. “This system has the potential to revolutionize the entire training process and make our student graduates better.”

The three Airmen teamed up with King Crow Studios, a virtual reality training company from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to develop it as part of a larger learning management system that uses virtual reality with an embedded instructor to teach and grade B-52 student pilots.

Members of the 307th Bomb Wing, 2nd BW and Air Force Global Strike Command watched as a demonstrator from King Crow Studios put on virtual reality goggles to access a 360-degree, virtual replica of the jet’s cockpit.

The demonstrator was able to practice going through the entire ground procedures checklist just as a student pilot would prior to take-off.
During the demonstration, Budgeon, an active-duty Airman, and Wolf, a Reserve Citizen Airman, explained several ways the VRPT can improve current training practices.

Practice makes perfect

The main advantages of the VRPT are its potential to reduce human bias in instruction, provide better access to training for student pilots, and give students immediate feedback that lessens the chance they develop poor habits in the early phases of training.

Wolf explained that current technology used in student pilot training limits hands-on training opportunities. Due to logistical concerns, student pilots don’t have 24-hour access to instructors or training tools.

The VRPT has the potential to eliminate that problem.

It employs virtual reality goggles, a computer and two hand controls. These portable items can be used almost anywhere to generate the virtual B-52 cockpit.

“It would be accessible to them all the time, so they can take it home and practice,” said Wolf. “They become familiar with it, and we won’t get that deer-in-headlights moment when they first get in the simulator or B-52.”

The program also has the capacity to collect data on student performance with time stamps that show speed and errors. That data can be used by instructors to provide immediate feedback.

“It catches mistakes early on a human might miss so that instructors can create a process for correcting them,” said Wolf.

The three pilots also stressed ease of use with the new system.

“Its operating system in intuitive, so all we have to is hand it to them and say ‘go’,” said Budgeon.

King Crow Studios is scheduled to produce a complete VRPT prototype later this year.

Budgeon, Wolf and Stephenson hope the trainer moves into the third phase of the contracting process and is adopted by the 307th Bomb Wing to train all incoming B-52 student pilots for the Air Force.

If adopted, the three Airmen are eager to press forward with similar trainers for the jet’s weapons systems officers and electronic warfare officers.

Cody Louviere, King Crowe Studios’ founder, expressed optimism the three Airmen’s vision for the future will become reality.

“We can do anything in this environment,” said Louviere regarding the training capacity of virtual reality. “We are here at the right time because the technology is advancing exponentially.”
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Any jokes aside about how it is going to be a knock-off DCS clone, this is actually a pretty good idea if the cyber security is there. Having more flexibility in training is always a good thing.

This story makes me chuckle. DCS was the first thing that popped into my head as well.

I have to say though... looking at the picture of the controllers they are using, I hope the US Government ponies up for some nicer flight sticks because I'm about certain my shit is better than a handheld gyro-controlled flight stick with a DoD price point slapped on it. Though admittedly the DoD price point is likely comparable.

Snekposter · Jul 14, 2020

Nobody builds like the Seabees. Nobody. Unfortunately I don't have any articles handy (help me out here?) but the stuff they built in every part of the Pacific was crazy, even building airfields on tiny islands in the Aleutians. And that's before you factor in all the supply depots, refueling points, repair docks...

The Un-Clit · Jul 14, 2020

BONE_Buddy said:
Last major article here until tomorrow.... probably.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/34804/here-is-our-first-look-at-one-of-boeings-new-f-15ex-eagle-fighter-jets-for-the-air-force

______________________________________
I really like the F-15. it is probably my second favorite aircraft, being trailed close behind by the B-36. No points for guessing my favorite aircraft.

I love the Eagle too, it was my #1 favourite jet fighter as a kid and it's great to see them still flying with upgraded engines and avionics, as well as being capable, as noted, of holding and launching a 1st gen hypersonic missile as well but if that's one of it's big selling points then my secret wish is to see the F-14 Tomcat be taken out of the graveyard and given a second life the way the F-15 and F-18 family has.

I know that particular battle was already fought and lost, but it's still my dream, naive or not.

The idea of an F-14 airframe updated with better construction, new engines and modern avionics makes me drool. You can toss the F-18 variants right off the carriers and into the boneyard were that to happen. The 'cat may not have the range of the F-15 but could certainly carry 2 of the big hypersonic bad boys along with a still respectable air defense and offense load. This would give the air force AND navy capability of carrying these missiles. Talk about projecting force!

They'd likely be a fuck of a lot more useful then the F-35 that's for damn sure. (sigh) ah well. Dreams are dreams.

Snekposter · Jul 15, 2020

The latest AMRAAM models are at or better than the range of the Phoenix. Yes, it was a lovely missile with an absurd range and one hell of a payload but god damn was it big and heavy, and the Tomcat needed to be twice the size and weight of the F/A-18 Hornet to be able to carry that load. When the USSR's bomber-launched hypersonic cruise missiles ceased to exist as a threat, the Tomcat's only real role left was as a long-range fighter bomber and recon plane, but its age made it expensive to fly. The F/A-18 does everything else it did better and with much less size and weight, so a lot more can be stored in a carrier, which is a major consideration. Still should have been de-navalized and given to the Air Force as an Aardvark replacement though.

BONE_Buddy · Jul 15, 2020

Snekposter said:
The latest AMRAAM models are at or better than the range of the Phoenix. Yes, it was a lovely missile with an absurd range and one hell of a payload but god damn was it big and heavy, and the Tomcat needed to be twice the size and weight of the F/A-18 Hornet to be able to carry that load. When the USSR's bomber-launched hypersonic cruise missiles ceased to exist as a threat, the Tomcat's only real role left was as a long-range fighter bomber and recon plane, but its age made it expensive to fly. The F/A-18 does everything else it did better and with much less size and weight, so a lotmore can be stored in a carrier, which is a major consideration. Still should have been de-navalized and given to the Air Force as an Aardvark replacement though.

The Phoenix was also a semi-active tracker (meaning it had to have the Tomcat giving guidance) unlike the the "Fire and Forget" AMRAAM. But I presume any rework or upgrade to the Tomcat would certify it with a boatload of AMRAAMs as well as the rest of the modern inventory.

They real problem is how much of a maintenance hog Variable Geometry wings are. VG was an excellent solution for a time before fly-by-wire. Now it just doesn't offer many benefits, the big one being a shorter runway needed for take-off, which is nice, but it isn't worth the cost unfortunately.

______________________________
Now for something entirely different:

https://news.usni.org/2020/07/14/japan-self-defense-force-accepts-delivery-of-first-v-22-osprey

Japan Self-Defense Force Accepts Delivery of First V-22 Osprey
1.jpeg
{A V-22 Osprey aircraft bound for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force based at Camp Kisarazu prepares to depart Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni, Japan, July 6, 2020. The ferry flight from MCAS Iwakuni marked the delivery of the first V-22 to the Japan Self-Defense Force. US Marine Corps photo. }

Japan accepted delivery of its first Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey on Friday, making it the first nation outside the U.S. to own and operate the tiltrotor aircraft.

The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) took delivery of the aircraft at Camp Kisarazu, across the Tokyo Bay from Yokosuka, according to news releases from Bell and Boeing, who collaborate on the aircraft program.

“Congratulations to Japan on becoming the first international operator of the Osprey,” Kurt Fuller, Bell Boeing program director, said in a release.
“The delivery of the Japanese V-22 represents a milestone for revolutionary aircraft capabilities for the Government of Japan and is a testament to our enduring friendship. The Osprey will provide Japan a tremendous advantage, unlike ever before, to respond to a broad range of challenges throughout the Asia Pacific region.”

The Japanese V-22 variant has a unique configuration with a Japanese-specific communication system, according to the news releases. Despite the different communication system, JGSDF personnel have been working with U.S. Marines since May to learn how to operate the aircraft ahead of accepting delivery of their own Osprey.

“This is an exciting moment in our partnership with the JGSDF; we have had the pleasure of working with them state-side to produce, develop, train and maintain their initial fleet of aircraft,” Marine Corps Col. Matthew Kelly, program manager for the V-22 Joint Program Office (PMA-275), said in the news release.
“This arrival marks a key step in standing up its V-22 fleet, and more importantly, the continued collaboration between our nations.”
2.jpeg
{ V-22 Ospreys bound for Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) units arrive in Japan at Marine Corps Air Station, Iwakuni, May 8, 2020. The V-22 off-load marked the first time JGSDF V-22s arrived on Japanese soil. US Marine Corps photo. }

The start of Japan’s V-22 fleet comes shortly after the U.S. Navy also accepted its first V-22 – called the CMV-22 – to carry out the carrier onboard delivery (COD) mission once the aging C-2A Greyhound propeller planes retire. Bell Boeing delivered the first aircraft to the “Black Jacks” of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (HX) 21 in February, and the first operational aircraft arrived at Naval Air Station North Island in California last month to begin building up the inventory of the “Titans” of Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadron (VRM) 30.

Marine Corps pilots and maintainers have also helped train their Navy counterparts on the aircraft, much like they have been doing in Japan. The Navy variant has extended range due to additional fuel tanks, a beyond-line-of-sight high-frequency radio, a public address system for passengers and an improved lighting system for cargo loading, all to assist in the COD mission ferrying people, supplies and mail across a carrier strike group at sea.

Unlike the C-2, which could only fly from shore to the aircraft carrier, the V-22 will be able to reach the surface combatants in the CSG directly, thanks to its ability to land and take off vertically like a helicopter.

Prior to Japan deciding to buy the V-22 in 2015, Japanese citizens long had concerns about American V-22s operating out of Japanese bases, particularly Okinawa, due to the aircraft’s early safety record. Even as recently as 2018, after the V-22 had established itself as a safe and reliable aircraft, Defense News reported that safety concerns from residents near Camp Kisarazu delayed the delivery of Bell Boeing’s first aircraft to Japan.
_
The V-22 is a good fit for Japan, it is a long range, decently heavy lifting, aircraft that can transport men and material to Japan's Destroyers and their Multi-Purpose "Destroyers." Our old Greyhound style carrier based transport aircraft can't operate off a ship without a catapult, and Japan doesn't use those... yet. The V-22 is fairly capable of transporting priority supplies up to and including F-35 engines (though it does the latter in a rather uncomfortable fashion.

The safety issues have largely been worked out from what I hear, and despite having a tilt rotor, apparently the reliability is higher than a traditional heavy lift helicopter because for most of is horizontal flight time, it isn't having to push the engines nearly as hard as a traditional helicopter would.

BONE_Buddy · Jul 15, 2020

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/34831/south-korea-has-already-started-a-search-for-new-airborne-early-warning-radar-planes

South Korea Has Already Started A Search For New Airborne Early Warning Radar Planes
Australia has also signaled that it wants to look for a new platform to replace or at least augment its 737-based E-7 radar jets.

The South Korean Air Force has formally kick-started a long-expected search for a new airborne early warning and control aircraft. It’s part of an overarching effort to dramatically enhance the country’s intelligence, surveillance, targeting, and reconnaissance capabilities. Seoul is especially concerned over gaps in its aerial surveillance coverage amid increasing security threats from neighboring countries that threaten its Korean Air Defense Identification Zone.

The Defense Project Promotion Committee approved the airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) acquisition plan on June 26, 2020, for an undisclosed number of new aircraft, as well as for a partnering signals intelligence (SIGINT) capability. A statement from South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) indicated that a domestic solution had been discounted and that a direct acquisition would be made by 2027 under a project dubbed AEW&C II, with an attached $1.32 billion-budget that will kick-in next year.

South Korea first identified an emerging airborne early warning requirement as long ago as 1980, which it deemed necessary due to the country’s topography. This limits the performance of ground-based radar stations. It took until 2005 for the country to launch E-X, which put the Boeing 737 AEW&C aircraft up against a U.S.-Israeli consortium of Gulfstream, L-3 and Israel Aircraft Industries/Elta offering the Gulfstream G550 Conformal AEW (CAEW).

Despite the attraction of low acquisition and through-life costs, South Korea was unable to proceed with the G550 due to export restrictions and the Boeing 737-based offer was selected by default in August 2006. The resulting $1.6-billion Peace Eye project included four aircraft that recieved the local designation E-737. The first of these was constructed and missionized by Boeing in Seattle, Washington, with Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) carrying out equipment installations on the remaining three examples in Saechon, South Korea. Deliveries were completed on Oct. 24, 2012.

{ South Korea ordered four E-737s under the Peace Eye deal, with deliveries completed in 2012. }

While many reports on the new AEW&C requirement have suggested that Seoul will simply order two more E-737s, there have been a number of domestic reports detailing disappointment with the Boeing aircraft. In October 2019, the South Korean daily newspaper MunhwaIlbo reported on a South Korean Air Force document that had been submitted to the Korean parliamentary National Defense Committee. It cited “frequent failures” in the period from 2015 to September 2019 that meant the E-737s had failed to meet a targeted availability rate of 75%. This lack of airframes reportedly exposed gaps in South Korea’s air defense coverage network due to aircraft being unavailable to maintain constant patrols. This is of particular concern because the E-737 is considered to be one of South Korea’s primary indigenous means of monitoring North Korean missile activity. The aircraft is also key for detecting low-flying targets and those will small radar signatures, which are a big threat to South Korea.

With the announcement of a budget and a timeline, AEW&C II is now very much a live program. Korea will next decide whether to go with a straight Foreign Military Sale (FMS) deal for two more Peace Eye E-737s or launch a competitive tender.

The Royal Australian Air Force also operates six 737 AEW&Cs, known locally as E-7A Wedgetails, the deliveries of which were completed on May 2, 2012, after a succession of delays mainly related to mission system integration. It is already heavily-invested in significant upgrades for its E-7s under Project AIR 5077 5A, which will, amongst other things, improve the type’s combat identification capabilities, add new data links, plus new wide-band satellite communications. Seoul has not taken up Boeing’s offers of a similar upgrade for its aircraft, despite them being broadly similar to the Wedgetails in overall configuration, except for a local electronic support measures (ESM) suite.

{ A Royal Australian Air Force mission crew at work in an E-7A Wedgetail. }

In addition, despite positive operational reports, and the comprehensive upgrade project, Australia’s 2020 Defence Strategic Update and Force Structure Plan, released on July 1, revealed a rather surprising statement regarding the Wedgetails:

“To protect the joint force, the Government will continue to invest in support and upgrades for the E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft, as well as the development and support of a joint air battle management system to better coordinate and synchronise ADF operations. In addition, plans for the E-7A replacement will now involve increasing the fleet to provide greater coverage of the highly-complex future air and joint-battlefield environment that will include a proliferation of autonomous systems and long-range and high-speed weapons.”

Australia’s E-7A Wedgetail Replacement was an unexpected inclusion, particularly so soon after upgrade of the existing platform. However, finding a replacement will not be a quick process. It may look at what options are available to realize its ambition to afford an expanded fleet of platforms. This could also potentially involve an aim for greater range from its AEW&C aircraft to hold potential adversaries at risk from a greater distance. However, it makes stark reading for the United Kingdom, which has recently started down the path of replacing the Royal Air Force’s fleet of E-3D Sentry Airborne Warning And Control System (AWACS) aircraft with five new Wedgetails under an almost $2-billion deal with Boeing. The contract was announced on Mar. 22, 2019, with an aggressive timeline for delivery, with the first aircraft arriving in 2023. The United Kingdom heralded the decision as involving a significant partnership with Australia.

Boeing has to date secured four customers for the 737 AEW&C, Australia, Korea, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. The design has, significantly, received little public interest domestically from the U.S. Air Force. Signs of mission readiness shortfalls in Korea coupled with Australia’s announcement that it might replace its Wedgetails have inevitably turned attention towards other AEW&C candidate platforms that could compete to upset the Boeing platform's success in the region.

{ Saab is offering two of its GlobalEye aircraft for the South Korean requirement. }

Saab is offering its GlobalEye Swing Role Surveillance System (SRSS) to South Korea, of which the first aircraft was delivered to its launch customer the United Arab Emirates Air Force on April 29. The GlobalEye combines Saab’s Erieye Extended Range (ER) radar and a range of additional advanced sensors, now offered in a missionized, long-range Bombardier Global 6500 aircraft in place of the original Global 6000, which is no longer manufactured. IAI is also in the mix with a derivative of its CAEW system.

Although unconfirmed, it’s widely expected that Korea will purchase two additional AEW&C aircraft to complement the existing Peace Eyes to improve its border coverage. Seoul was unable to participate in extensive integration work on its initial E-737s and Saab is likely to be dangling the carrot of substantial incentives to domestic industry through the transfer of technology and integration work, which is seen as a key differentiator over a straight FMS deal for more E-737s. Saab says the GlobalEye would be able to neatly operate alongside the Peace Eyes, with the Erieye’s S-Band gallium-nitride radar complementing the E-737’s L-Band radar.

{ Israel Aircraft Industries and Elta was at the forefront of efforts to pair Airborne Early Warning and Control solutions with business jets, such as the Gulfstream 550. }

Importantly, the 737 AEW&C is not an active production program, and Boeing would need to source airframes and select an integrator for the mission systems if Korea opted for additional E-737s. In comparison, the RAF is buying at least two secondhand commercial airliners for its Wedgetail program. Marshall Aerospace, which was to have acted as the systems integrator, withdrew from the project in March due to “commercial considerations." Boeing subsequently announced that STS Aviation Services was to assume the conversion work when the first airframes arrive later this year.

In the meantime, Korea is examining its options on whether to stick with the E-737 or launch a formal competition. The latter would bring Saab and IAI Into the frame for a fascinating shoot-out for a prized competition in a market that could have huge implications for others looking at airborne early warning options.

BONE_Buddy · Jul 15, 2020

The next article is about the B-52 Engine Replacement. Personally I live the idea, but it won't be a simple swap job like some make it out to be. Here are some of the risks:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/lorenthompson/2020/07/13/hanging-new-engines-on-60-year-old-b-52-bombers-is-not-easy-here-are-some-risks/#4fd41d669219

Hanging New Engines On 60-Year-Old B-52 Bombers Will Raise Some Serious Risks

The U.S. Air Force wants to continue operating the venerable B-52 bomber through 2050. As I have written recently, that would make it the longest continuously operating jet in history.

In order to accomplish this, Air Force leaders plan to make major upgrades to the 76 B-52H bombers in their fleet, including the installation of new engines.

Today’s commercial turbofans are so much more advanced than the TF33 engines currently powering the bombers—there are eight on each plane—that the Air Force believes it can get a 30% gain in fuel efficiency and (given less weight) a 40% gain in range.

A request for proposals issued to industry in May also specified big gains in engine reliability, so that the new engines would never need to be removed from wings during the bombers’ remaining time in service.

{With eight engines located forward of the wings, the B-52 bomber presents an unusual reengining challenge}

The plan to buy new engines is called the Commercial Engine Replacement Program, or CERP, and if all goes as planned, the savings from operating with new engines would cover the cost of installation.

So what’s not to like?

The only real issue, as the Air Force’s solicitation acknowledged, is that there is “significant risk” in hanging new engines on such an aged plane. Those risks haven’t gotten much of a public airing, so what follows is a laundry list of issues that might arise.

The case for going forward with CERP is compelling. But if you think it’s going to be a piece of cake, read on.

Engineering data. Most of the history of manned aviation has unfolded since the B-52 was conceived in the late 1940s. The “H” variant of the bomber, which is the only remaining version in the Air Force fleet today, ceased production in 1962. There are no 3D models of the airframe that can facilitate the application of digital engineering methods to the reengining project. It will be harder to predict where structural stresses might appear in the process of adapting the airframe to new engines than it would be on more recent planes.

New nacelles. B-52 engines are podded in dual nacelles, with each structure containing two engines. No matter which engine is selected for the CERP effort, new nacelles will be required. Because the nacelles and engines are located well forward of the wing, the introduction of new structures could impact air flow on control surfaces such as the flaps, leading to stresses. Coping with those stresses could require modifications to the wing. The bigger the new engine and nacelle, the more likely such stresses become.

Power output. General Electric GE +2.7%, Pratt & Whitney, and Rolls-Royce all say they will offer engines for the CERP effort. However, all of the engines being proposed are significantly different from the TF33 currently powering the bomber. The TF33 is a first-generation turbofan derived from a pre-existing Pratt turbojet. If the new engines generate significantly more power than the existing engines, that could create structural stresses for pylons attaching the engine nacelles to the wings.

Engine controls. The B-52 bomber ceased production long before digital engine controls were introduced. The industry standard today for optimizing engine performance and safety is called a “full authority digital engine control,” which allows a computer to manage engine parameters based on sensor readings taken many times per second. It is much more advanced than the hydromechanical engine controls on B-52s today. The planes will need to be wired with sensors, displays and other hardware to implement the digital controls required for new engines.

Cyber safety. Hydromechanical controls are impervious to cyber intrusions, but electronic engine controls are driven by software that is potentially vulnerable to being compromised. The Air Force and contractors will need to implement cybersecurity measures to assure that the introduction of digital engine controls does not create operational weaknesses on the planes. Full-authority electronic controls do not typically permit a manual backup to manage engines if their software is impaired.

Certification challenges. B-52s will need to be recertified for flight when they receive new engines. The service would prefer that recertification be limited to the engines themselves. However, the more the engine deviates from the thrust and dimensions of the existing TF33, necessitating structural and other modifications, the more likely a “re-cert” of the whole airframe will be required. Recertification of whole planes can be a protracted, laborious process that turns up problems not previously anticipated.

Supply chain. The engines likely to be offered by industry for the CERP project vary considerably in terms of their age and flight hours. Newer engines usually have a robust supply chain, whereas mature engines approaching the end of their life cycle are more likely to have parts and supplier issues. Thus the selection of an engine needs to take into account the likely viability of engine supply chains as the B-52 continues operating to mid-century, and perhaps beyond. The Air Force has had chronic problems with parts obsolescence and suppliers exiting the market on older planes in its fleet.

Sustainment process. Closely related to the supply chain concern is the challenge of sustainment—keeping the engines ready for combat on short notice—over a multi-decade period. The existing TF33s are fully integrated into the Air Force’s sustainment system and well understood by maintainers. That is not going to be the case with the commercial engines that replace them, so there will be a learning curve likely to impact aircraft availability. Aircraft operated in small numbers such as the B-52 generally have higher per-aircraft sustainment costs than those operated by the hundreds, and picking the wrong new engine could exacerbate this problem.

The Air Force has already anticipated many of these issues by funding offerors to assess the risks associated with reengining the B-52 and devise solutions. Ideally, what it needs is an engine that mimics the thrust and dimensions of the legacy engine while offering greater fuel efficiency and reliability. What it doesn’t need is a reengining program that requires complex modifications, structural fixes, and cyber innovations potentially leading to a prolonged certification process.

B-52 integrator Boeing BA +2.5% and engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney contribute to my think tank.

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So, it is a great idea, and will hopefully go forward without a hitch. However, there are several chances for things to get more expensive than we bargained for.

BONE_Buddy · Jul 15, 2020

Last article of the day:

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/34830/air-force-close-to-test-firing-low-cost-cruise-missile-as-work-on-swarming-munitions-progresses

Air Force Close To Test Firing Low-Cost Cruise Missile As Work On Swarming Munitions Progresses
The service is developing inexpensive stand-off munitions that can be networked together and with other weapons.

The U.S. Air Force says it recently wrapped up a series of tests involving a prototype low-cost cruise missile developed under a program called Gray Wolf. This comes as the service is also working toward starting flight testing of networked swarming munitions as part of a separate project known as Golden Horde.

The 412th Test Wing at Edwards Air Force Base in California announced the completion of the latest round of Gray Wolf tests on July 14, 2020. Air Force personnel conducted both Electromagnetic Interference and Compatibility (EMIC) testing on the ground and captive carry flight tests using an F-16C Viper fighter jet from the 416th Flight Test Squadron.

"The EMIC check is ground check to confirm the missile is okay to fly on our specific test aircraft," Conor Most, a Flight Test Engineer with the 416th explained in an official interview. "A captive-carry flight is the first flight with the weapon; the goal is to rehearse the weapon flight profile and gather critical state/environmental data about the weapon."

{Members from the Gray Wolf test team and personnel from the 416th Flight Test Squadron stand behind a prototype Gray Wolf missile ahead of a captive-carry flight test. }

"Getting the weapon airborne and gathering data is crucial to the development for a new weapon system like this," he continued. "With just one captive carry flight, the team learned more than in weeks or months of laboratory testing. Modeling and simulation go a long way to helping you predict how a new weapon will behave, but they will never replace actually putting the weapon on an aircraft and observing how it actually behaves in a real-world environment."

{One of the 416th's F-16Cs with an experimental Gray Wolf missile under its left wing. }

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), which is leading the Gray Wolf program, had previously announced the successful completion of a series of tests of the low-cost Technical Directions Inc. (TDI) TDI-J85 turbojet engine that is set to power these experimental weapons in March. TDI is a division of drone-maker Kratos.

{ A TDI-J85 turbojet engine. }

All of this is building toward a planned live flight test of one of the missiles, which Northrop Grumman has developed in cooperation with Griffon Aerospace, on the Naval Air Station Point Mugu Sea Test Range off the coast of southern California by the end of the Summer.

AFRL initiated Gray Wolf, which you can read about in more detail in this past War Zone piece, in 2017 to demonstrate the feasibility of an air-launched cruise missile that would be very low-cost and highly fuel-efficient when compared to similar existing weapons, such as the AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) series.

Increased fuel efficiency could translate to increased stand-off range, valuable in an era of ever-improving air defenses among potential adversaries. It would also allow a missile to use less fuel to reach certain distances, freeing up space inside a weapon for larger warheads, improved guidance systems and seekers, or other features, all without increasing its form factor. This could be very valuable for designs intended for stealthy aircraft, which need to carry their ordnance internally to maximize their radar-evading capabilities.

Lowering the unit costs of cruise missiles could be absolutely critical in the future, as well. The Air Force expects to pay, on average, $1.266 million for each JASSM, regardless of variant, in the 2021 Fiscal Year, according to the service's most recent budget request. This could easily make a mass cruise missile strike prohibitively expensive, especially during any major future conflict.

These costs concerns are only magnified when considering the Air Force's desire to field large swarms of autonomous networked munitions in the future. AFRL has already used the Gray Wolf project to explore initial concepts in this regard and it will help inform the Golden Horde program. In 2019, the service announced it was canceling additional phases of Gray Wolf specifically in order to shift resources to Golden Horde.

Golden Horde, another AFRL-led effort, is working to develop artificial intelligence-driven systems that could potentially go into various types of munitions, as well as other air-launched stores, that will allow them to work together as an autonomous swarm. On July 13, 2020, Defense News reported that the Air Force was looking to begin flight testing of the first experimental munition developed under this project, a modified GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bomb (SDB), dubbed the Collaborative Small Diameter Bomb 1 (CSDB-1), by the end of this year. An F-16 is expected to carry the CSDB-1s during those tests.

The goal is then to move on to tests of a modified ADM-160 Miniature Air-Launched Decoy (MALD), referred to as the Collaborative Miniature Air-Launched Decoy (CMALD). A B-52 bomber is set to be the test launch platform for those networked decoys.

{A DM-160 Miniature Air-Launched Decoys (MALD) under the wing of a US Air Force B-52 bomber. }

"With all the talk about artificial intelligence and other things in 'Terminator' movies … [there’s] certainly some trepidation of what independent capability a weapon may have," Air Force Colonel Garry Hasse, head of AFRL’s Munitions Directorate, told Defense News.

"[Mission planners] would give information to the weapon on an appropriate engagement zone, where it would be considered proper for the weapon to engage targets … and they would give the weapons information on known targets in that zone," Norma Taylor, the Golden Horde Program manager, also explained to Defense News. "But if they have some idea that there might be other targets out there that they don’t know, they will give the weapon some information in terms of priorities, so that if you come across a higher-priority target that’s in the authorized engagement zone, then you have permission to change your assignment."

Technologies to enable increased autonomy in various systems, combined with developments in artificial intelligence and machine learning, is a steadily expanding field of interest broadly within the Air Force, as well as across the U.S. military as a whole. You can read more about potential autonomous concepts of operation for munitions, as well as unmanned aircraft, in this past War Zone feature.

“One of the important aspects of the networking aspect of the technology is the ability to send information to the weapon while it’s in flight and give it a new mission download, so to speak,” she continued. "But the important thing is to realize that whether it’s preprogrammed in mission planning or whether it’s a mission update to your flight, the operators are still required to provide the weapon those rules of engagement are on, where they can and can’t engage, and what their mission priorities are."

Of course, Golden Horde isn't expected to be limited to munitions carrying out kinetic strikes. The swarms could also include other air-launched stores, including decoys, such as the CMALD, which could carry electronic warfare packages to jam or otherwise confuse enemy air defenders, potentially drawing their attention away from a main line of attack or otherwise spreading their forces thin across a wide area. The Air Force hopes to test CSDB-1s and CMALDs together in 2022.

Updated mission instructions and associated data, including targeting information, could potentially come from a wide variety of sources, including aircraft, ships, forces on the ground, and even assets in space, as well. It's possible that ultimately a portion of the swarm itself might be configured for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions and be able to feed data to other munitions or air-launched stores. Colonel Hasse said that there is a goal for the Golden Horde munitions to eventually be able to leverage the Air Force's separate plans for an expanded, overarching, multi-faceted network architecture known as the Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS), which you can read about more in this past War Zone piece.

It's not clear what systems developed under Golden Horde may actually become operational. It, just like Gray Wolf before it, is more of a technology demonstration effort intended to serve as a stepping stone to a future operational capability.

“I don’t know [that it’s] specifically a collaborative SDB that we’ll transition into the inventory," AFRL's Taylor said. "I think more it’s a matter of looking at some of the plays and the networking capabilities and the collaboration capabilities that could be put into other systems."

With a live flight test planned for Gray Wolf in the near future and flight testing of the CSBD-1 set to kick off within months, we shouldn't have to wait much longer to see what exciting progress the Air Force has made toward low-cost cruise missiles and autonomous swarms of munitions.

Sam Losco · Jul 15, 2020

BONE_Buddy said:
So, it is a great idea, and will hopefully go forward without a hitch. However, there are several chances for things to get more expensive than we bargained for.

They've been talking about replacing the engines for probably decades at this point. I'll believe it when I see it.

It would be fucking weird to see it go from 8 engines to 4.

Snekposter · Jul 15, 2020

Honestly the only way to go with upgrades for the B-52's is all in, given their age, current demands, and the fact there's nothing out there the least bit similar to the old-as-fuck shit first installed. Some of the current fuck-massive airliner turbofans on a more conventional, less forward pylon arrangement will do wonders for output and fuel efficiency... but given the electronics and sensors necessary to handle those, no reason to not go full fly-by-light (fly-by-wire, but with fiber optics instead of conventional wiring) at the same time for additional weight savings. God knows the airframes will be happy to have less weight on their backs as they're quite literally old enough to draw a pension with the youngest being in their early 50's. Of course, Uncle Sam will just take the weight savings and dump it into airframe reinforcement, which is exactly what they need anyways, TBH.

Sam Losco · Jul 15, 2020

Snekposter said:
Honestly the only way to go with upgrades for the B-52's is all in, given their age, current demands, and the fact there's nothing out there the least bit similar to the old-as-fuck shit first installed. Some of the current fuck-massive airliner turbofans on a more conventional, less forward pylon arrangement will do wonders for output and fuel efficiency... but given the electronics and sensors necessary to handle those, no reason to not go full fly-by-light (fly-by-wire, but with fiber optics instead of conventional wiring) at the same time for additional weight savings. God knows the airframes will be happy to have less weight on their backs as they're quite literally old enough to draw a pension with the youngest being in their early 50's. Of course, Uncle Sam will just take the weight savings and dump it into airframe reinforcement, which is exactly what they need anyways, TBH.

The youngest would actually be 58/59. All the jets still in use were built in either 1960 or 1961.

Snekposter · Jul 15, 2020

Shit, I have no idea where I fucked my math up, and I had Wikipedia open and a fucking calculator. You're right.

Mister Qwerty · Jul 15, 2020

BONE_Buddy said:
The next article is about the B-52 Engine Replacement. Personally I live the idea, but it won't be a simple swap job like some make it out to be. Here are some of the risks:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/lorenthompson/2020/07/13/hanging-new-engines-on-60-year-old-b-52-bombers-is-not-easy-here-are-some-risks/#4fd41d669219
Hanging New Engines On 60-Year-Old B-52 Bombers Will Raise Some Serious Risks

The U.S. Air Force wants to continue operating the venerable B-52 bomber through 2050. As I have written recently, that would make it the longest continuously operating jet in history.

In order to accomplish this, Air Force leaders plan to make major upgrades to the 76 B-52H bombers in their fleet, including the installation of new engines.

Today’s commercial turbofans are so much more advanced than the TF33 engines currently powering the bombers—there are eight on each plane—that the Air Force believes it can get a 30% gain in fuel efficiency and (given less weight) a 40% gain in range.

A request for proposals issued to industry in May also specified big gains in engine reliability, so that the new engines would never need to be removed from wings during the bombers’ remaining time in service.
View attachment 1449431
{With eight engines located forward of the wings, the B-52 bomber presents an unusual reengining challenge}

The plan to buy new engines is called the Commercial Engine Replacement Program, or CERP, and if all goes as planned, the savings from operating with new engines would cover the cost of installation.

So what’s not to like?

The only real issue, as the Air Force’s solicitation acknowledged, is that there is “significant risk” in hanging new engines on such an aged plane. Those risks haven’t gotten much of a public airing, so what follows is a laundry list of issues that might arise.

The case for going forward with CERP is compelling. But if you think it’s going to be a piece of cake, read on.

Engineering data. Most of the history of manned aviation has unfolded since the B-52 was conceived in the late 1940s. The “H” variant of the bomber, which is the only remaining version in the Air Force fleet today, ceased production in 1962. There are no 3D models of the airframe that can facilitate the application of digital engineering methods to the reengining project. It will be harder to predict where structural stresses might appear in the process of adapting the airframe to new engines than it would be on more recent planes.

New nacelles. B-52 engines are podded in dual nacelles, with each structure containing two engines. No matter which engine is selected for the CERP effort, new nacelles will be required. Because the nacelles and engines are located well forward of the wing, the introduction of new structures could impact air flow on control surfaces such as the flaps, leading to stresses. Coping with those stresses could require modifications to the wing. The bigger the new engine and nacelle, the more likely such stresses become.

Power output. General Electric GE +2.7%, Pratt & Whitney, and Rolls-Royce all say they will offer engines for the CERP effort. However, all of the engines being proposed are significantly different from the TF33 currently powering the bomber. The TF33 is a first-generation turbofan derived from a pre-existing Pratt turbojet. If the new engines generate significantly more power than the existing engines, that could create structural stresses for pylons attaching the engine nacelles to the wings.

Engine controls. The B-52 bomber ceased production long before digital engine controls were introduced. The industry standard today for optimizing engine performance and safety is called a “full authority digital engine control,” which allows a computer to manage engine parameters based on sensor readings taken many times per second. It is much more advanced than the hydromechanical engine controls on B-52s today. The planes will need to be wired with sensors, displays and other hardware to implement the digital controls required for new engines.

Cyber safety. Hydromechanical controls are impervious to cyber intrusions, but electronic engine controls are driven by software that is potentially vulnerable to being compromised. The Air Force and contractors will need to implement cybersecurity measures to assure that the introduction of digital engine controls does not create operational weaknesses on the planes. Full-authority electronic controls do not typically permit a manual backup to manage engines if their software is impaired.

Certification challenges. B-52s will need to be recertified for flight when they receive new engines. The service would prefer that recertification be limited to the engines themselves. However, the more the engine deviates from the thrust and dimensions of the existing TF33, necessitating structural and other modifications, the more likely a “re-cert” of the whole airframe will be required. Recertification of whole planes can be a protracted, laborious process that turns up problems not previously anticipated.

Supply chain. The engines likely to be offered by industry for the CERP project vary considerably in terms of their age and flight hours. Newer engines usually have a robust supply chain, whereas mature engines approaching the end of their life cycle are more likely to have parts and supplier issues. Thus the selection of an engine needs to take into account the likely viability of engine supply chains as the B-52 continues operating to mid-century, and perhaps beyond. The Air Force has had chronic problems with parts obsolescence and suppliers exiting the market on older planes in its fleet.

Sustainment process. Closely related to the supply chain concern is the challenge of sustainment—keeping the engines ready for combat on short notice—over a multi-decade period. The existing TF33s are fully integrated into the Air Force’s sustainment system and well understood by maintainers. That is not going to be the case with the commercial engines that replace them, so there will be a learning curve likely to impact aircraft availability. Aircraft operated in small numbers such as the B-52 generally have higher per-aircraft sustainment costs than those operated by the hundreds, and picking the wrong new engine could exacerbate this problem.

The Air Force has already anticipated many of these issues by funding offerors to assess the risks associated with reengining the B-52 and devise solutions. Ideally, what it needs is an engine that mimics the thrust and dimensions of the legacy engine while offering greater fuel efficiency and reliability. What it doesn’t need is a reengining program that requires complex modifications, structural fixes, and cyber innovations potentially leading to a prolonged certification process.

B-52 integrator Boeing BA +2.5% and engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney contribute to my think tank.

________________________________________________
So, it is a great idea, and will hopefully go forward without a hitch. However, there are several chances for things to get more expensive than we bargained for.

Will the refit B-52s still have 8 engines or 4?

mr.moon1488 · Jul 15, 2020

I think space militarization will likely make ICBMs largely obsolete in the next 30 to 40 years. For one, space installations could, in theory, carry out large scale ground bombardment far more precisely than nuclear ICBMs, and could potentially be far more destructive. Additionally, space installations could be configured to intercept ICBMs far more easily than any ground-based system could. Most ground-based systems are designed to intercept ICBMs during their terminal and midcourse phases (due to obvious limitations), which are both relatively safe phases for ICBMs. A space-based system could however intercept an ICBM during its boost phase when it's far more venerable due to its lower traveling speed, and more liner path.

BONE_Buddy · Jul 15, 2020

Just thought I would post these:

Mister Qwerty said:
Will the refit B-52s still have 8 engines or 4?

Probably 8. Both were discussed, but IIRC it was determined a straight 1-1 engine replacement would be easier to do.

__
Just took a look to refresh my memory, this is an article from 2019 (Bold Mine):

USAF Releases B-52 Engine Replacement RFP, Award Expected July 2021 - Air Force Magazine

USAF on May 19 issued its RFP on the B-52 Commercial Engine Replacement Program, calling for responses by July and a contract award expected in June 2021.

www.airforcemag.com

USAF Releases B-52 Engine Replacement RFP, Award Expected July 2021

The Air Force on May 19 issued its request for proposals on the B-52 Commercial Engine Replacement Program, calling for responses by July and a contract award expected in June 2021.

GE Aviation, Raytheon Technologies’ Pratt & Whitney unit, and Rolls-Royce have all said they will compete.

The service, in the RFP, confirmed it wants to buy a total of 608 engines to equip 76 B-52s, each of which mounts eight engines arrayed two each in four nacelles. For prototyping purposes, USAF will start with 20 engines—16 for two aircraft plus four spares. The first contract will be indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity, with production models delivered through 2037. The B-52 is slated to remain in service through 2050.

The program office assesses “significant risk” in “integrating current technology commercial engines on the 1950s-era B-52 aircraft technology,” according to justification documents. The heavily-redacted documents conclude that GE, Pratt, and Rolls are likely to be able to meet service requirements. Two other companies—their names redacted in the documents—“did not submit a viable solution” for the requirement.

The Air Force wants fuel efficiency savings of about 30 percent on the new powerplants versus the in-use Pratt & Whitney TF33 engines, and reliability such that the engines never have to come off the B-52 for service during the bomber’s remaining lifetime. This in turn will sharply diminish or eliminate the need to stockpile large quantities of parts, resulting in further savings. The Air Force has said that it expects fuel savings will pay for the cost of the re-engining program, which would also drive a reduction in maintainers assigned to the airplane. With the fuel efficiency, USAF is also looking for an increase in persistence or range of up to 40 percent.

The re-engining is the centerpiece of an overall B-52 technology refresh that will also include new radars, connectivity enhancements, and capability for new weapons, such as hypersonic missiles. Boeing, the original prime on the B-52, will handle integration of the new engines.

Rolls-Royce is offering its F130 engine, a variant of the commercial BR725, for the program, noting it is “already in the Air Force fleet,” company Senior Vice President Craig McVay said in a press release. The commercial version of the engine powers E-11s and C-37s.

“Should Rolls-Royce win the competition, the F130 engines for the B-52 would be digitally engineered, manufactured, assembled and tested at our facilities in Indianapolis,” he said, adding the company is “excited to move to the proposal stage” of the program.

GE is offering its CF34-10 and Passport engines, touting either as meeting USAF’s requirements. The CF34-10 has a track record for the time-on-wing USAF wants, and it has the lowest cost of ownership of any engine in the competition, the company said. The Passport offers the lowest fuel burn of any engine in its class for more payload and range, the company said.

GE also promotes itself as having done more re-enginings than any other company, noting the KC-135, C-5, and U-2 programs, adding that it provided the engines for the B-1 and B-2 bombers.

In a statement, Pratt’s Chris Johnson, director of mobility and diverse engine programs, said the company is “excited to offer the award-winning PW800 for the B-52 CERP competition.” The engine offers “industry-leading reliability, robust sustainment infrastructure, and significant fuel efficiency savings.” Johnson said Pratt has an advantage due to its “unique” 40-plus years of experience powering the B-52 and “with our expertise integrating commercial engines onto military applications.”
__________________________
"USAF will start with 20 engines—16 for two aircraft plus four spares." That means 8 per aircraft.

mr.moon1488 said:
I think space militarization will likely make ICBMs largely obsolete in the next 30 to 40 years. For one, space installations could, in theory, carry out large scale ground bombardment far more precisely than nuclear ICBMs, and could potentially be far more destructive. Additionally, space installations could be configured to intercept ICBMs far more easily than any ground-based system could. Most ground-based systems are designed to intercept ICBMs during their terminal and midcourse phases (due to obvious limitations), which are both relatively safe phases for ICBMs. A space-based system could however intercept an ICBM during its boost phase when it's far more venerable due to its lower traveling speed, and more liner path.

The only thing I would quibble on is the bit about conducting bombardment missions from space. The problem is cost, it is much cheaper to do that sort of thing from land. Especially when it comes to maintaining something like space based artillery. Hell, space based nukes would be a problem be cause they have shelf life like everything else. If you don't use it you have to bring it back down in one piece.

Then you have the cost of the launch itself, while you tend to hear about former ICMBs doing space launch, that is because they are launching something far lighter than what they were designed around, usually anyway. Putting something on a Ballistic trajectory to hit something half way around the world does use less energy that putting it in a stable orbit unfortunately.

The space based defense are going to happen soon though, that is a definite. There really isn't a good alternative.

Fleet Forces	3rd Fleet	4th Fleet	5th Fleet	6th Fleet	7th Fleet	Total
3	1	2	23	15	56	100

Deployed Ships Underway	Non-deployed Ships Underway	Total Ships Underway
46	33	79

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