messages fast, and they send messages with credibility.” Upon further discussion of the importance of a new bomber, he referred to specific missions that previous bombers, such as the B-2 and B-52, have been used for, and how a new long-range bomber would be beneficial towards achieving future missions.
Information on this new bomber is still sparse, however Lt. General Field did offer a few hints as to time frame and production. This new platform will be fielded possibly in the mid-2020s, and the service will obtain between 80-100 of these bombers, and they will mostly be made with existing technologies. They will be made with penetrating capability in mind, and the platforms will have both stand-off and direct-attack munitions. It is said that they will have room for a “significant” payload as well. Lt. General Field would later clarify after the panel ended that the 80-100 range that he discussed was more about uncertainty of the price rather than a representation of the minimum number of bombers. The Air Force is hoping to keep the program cost underneath $550 million per platform.
Even though it is said that the bomber will be made based on existing technology, Lt. General Field and one of his co-panelists, Rebecca Grant, both emphasized the need for this platform in order to advance current technologies forward. Specifically she said, “It will be through this bomber program that we have our best chance right now of bringing in the exotic new technologies of the future into new development.” She mentioned specifics such as, energy weaponry, hypersonics, and alternative fuels as options that could be looked at.
advance current technologies forward. Specifically she said, “It will be through this bomber program that we have our best chance right now of bringing in the exotic new technologies of the future into new development.” She mentioned specifics such as, energy weaponry, hypersonics, and alternative fuels as options that could be looked at.