2037 bomber controversy
| 2037 Bomber | |
|---|---|
| Project for | Stealth bomber |
| Issued by | United States Air Force |
| Successor programs | Next-Generation Bomber Long Range Strike Bomber |
The 2037 Bomber[1] was the unofficial title of a projected program to develop a heavy strategic bomber for the United States Air Force. Intended to serve as a replacement for the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit, the aircraft was projected to enter service by around 2037 as a new generation ultra stealth, supersonic, all weather, long-range intercontinental heavy bomber aircraft with capability for unmanned operation.[2]
With the ending of B-2 Spirit production in 2000, the U.S. Air Force was left with a gap in its bomber development. A new bomber would be needed in the 2037 time frame to replace retiring B-52s and B-1 Lancers according to the Air Force's Bomber Roadmap, released in 1999.[3][4] This was considered too long to wait, so the Air Force commenced the Next-Generation Bomber program (later the Long Range Strike Bomber program).[5][6]
See also
References
- ^ Fox, Will. "2037 Timeline of the Future - 6th Generation Fighter - Technology - 2030s". www.futuretimeline.net.
- ^ "Stealth Reborn".
- ^ Tirpak, John A. "The Bomber Roadmap". Air Force Magazine, June 1999. Retrieved December 30, 2015 (PDF version)
- ^ Grant, Rebecca. "Return of the Bomber, The Future of Long-Range Strike", p. 11, 17, 29. Air Force Association, February 2007.
- ^ Hebert, Adam J. "Long-Range Strike in a Hurry", Air Force Magazine, November 2004, Retrieved December 30, 2015, (PDF version)
- ^ Murch, Anthony, "RL34406, The Next Generation Bomber: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress", p. 17–20, Congressional Research Service, 7 March 2008, Archived at: Archived June 11, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
External links
- "The 2018 Bomber and Its Friends", Air Force Magazine, October 2006
- "Great Expectations", Air Force Magazine, August 2007