B-21 Raider Seen Like Never Before In New Images
We have just been given our first side view of Northrop Grumman's B-21 Raider stealth bomber, an aircraft that remains cloaked in secrecy.
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Spectrum Warfare Wing’s Koslov eyes fast retooling for ‘wicked threats’
“If you think about trying to get data to fighters, to bombers, to weapons, to countermeasures, to all the things that we do, that’s a good number.”
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180 minutes to kill: Can the Air Force update EW within 3 hours of detecting a new threat? - Breaking Defense
“Our mindset has to be that we use the spectrum to kill faster, not to protect things,” said Col. Joshua Koslov. “The more things we kill, the less things that can hurt us.”
Long-range precision strike system caps wind tunnel testing
Boeing’s milestone furthers the development of the system to meet emergent defense needs.
onfirstup.com
Our First Glimpse Of The Air Force's Hypersonic Cruise Missile
Newly released pictures include the first time the USAF has offered a look at its hypersonic cruise missile design.
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Flight Testing Of Air Force's New Nuclear-Armed Cruise Missile Well Underway
There have been at least nine flight tests of stealthy Long Range Stand Off missile prototypes, including one with a mock nuclear warhead.
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Why the Rafale could replace the A-10 For USAF !!!
The Rafale is a true twin-engine omnirole tactical fighter with an advanced data link, OSF infrared search and track system including IRST, RBE2 active electronically scanned array radar (AESA), all in an airframe with a potential of 9,000 flight hours. The Rafale M is equipped with a robust landing gear for carrier operations, and a refueling system. It has 13 weapons stations. The Rafale is a 9/11 G aircraft with a top speed of Mach 1.8 and reduced radar signature characteristics.
Why is all this important?
If US are looking for an aircraft to replace the A-10C, the Rafale offers an airframe capable of doing most of the things the A-10C does, especially when it comes to using precision-guided munitions.
It offers superior holding time, is capable of flying at slower speeds if required, but can also fly much faster, making it more responsive when needed - particularly important when troops are in contact and air support is needed immediately. But the real strength of the Rafale lies in the additional capabilities it brings over the A-10C.
With the AESA RBE2, the Rafale is equipped with one of the world's most powerful radars, capable of tracking and operating weapons beyond visual range (BVR), producing high-resolution SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) maps and sharing data over advanced data links. The Rafale is equipped as standard not only with the modern Link 16 link, but also with data fusion technology that enables sensor fusion, making the Rafale one of the most capable and connected fighters from day one of combat.
The addition of a Talios pod gives the Rafale long-range passive detection capability, even against less observable airborne adversaries (stealth). It is also equipped with wide-area cockpit displays to make the most of all this information.
The robustness of the Rafale's undercarriage and tail hook, as well as its refueling capability, make it ideally suited to austere and advanced operations in any theater, but especially in the Pacific.
Take the example of forward-based Rafales taking part in Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) operations with C-130s or A-400 Ms as part of a combat agile employment team jumping from island to island. Rafales could take off with reduced fuel loads, maximizing short-field performance, then refuel en route to their place of operation from the same in-flight refueling-equipped C-130 or A-400 M.
Even for strike or anti-surface warfare missions, among others, an A-400 M equipped with a forward-deployed in-flight refueling system could immediately refuel the weapon-laden Rafale once it had taken off, to maximize its short-field capabilities and range.
The Rafale can then recover after its mission using its hook and a mobile arresting device, making very short field operations not only more feasible, but also safer.
All this would enable independent distributed operations closer to the front line, posing major problems for adversary calculations and opening up new tactical possibilities for survival.
Compared with the A-10 C, the Rafale would be able to provide a more robust combination of standoff weapons, while also being able to make a significant contribution to air-to-air (A/A) warfare in an offensive or defensive role, while retaining its survivability. What's more, the Rafales have more advanced electronic warfare equipment that could prove very useful.
The Rafale would be a better match for the USAF's ACE concept than any aircraft currently in service. Possible weapons configurations, rugged landing gear and hooks, combined with the ability to refuel from a variety of less common tanker aircraft (including other Rafales), would enable island-hopping operations previously unthinkable for Air Force tactical jets.
In addition to ACE, Rafales could also fulfil the defensive air counter-attack (DCA) mission mentioned above, as well as anti-surface warfare and general reconnaissance missions. All these roles could prove invaluable in protecting even a temporary island outpost.
Flight characteristics
In terms of maneuverability, the A-10C and Rafale behave very similarly when engaged in descending turns. The Rafale's engines (17,000 lbs thrust each) would be a welcome change for any A-10C pilot, as they offer power management options unobtainable with high bypass ratio turbofan engines.
Up to five additional tanks can be added for extremely long endurance or refueling missions. Additional range would be particularly useful in the Pacific.
Weapons
The additional air-to-air (A/A) weapons that the Rafale brings to combat represent a major step forward compared with the A-10C's AIM-9M. The MICA IR and RF are already fully integrated, as is the METEOR.
On the air-to-ground side, the Rafale can carry just about any MK-82/83/84 series bomb, including laser-guided munitions, hammer 250 and 1000, Exocet anti-ship missile, Scalp EG land-attack missile and future FMAN/FMC.
Conclusion
The Rafale's ability to operate from short, austere airfields – from islands to roads – and to refuel from tankers capable of doing the same, meets one of the Air Force's greatest tactical imperatives at present.
Once again, the Rafales could have a huge impact on the Pacific Theater.
The Rafale is a true twin-engine omnirole tactical fighter with an advanced data link, OSF infrared search and track system including IRST, RBE2 active electronically scanned array radar (AESA), all in an airframe with a potential of 9,000 flight hours. The Rafale M is equipped with a robust landing gear for carrier operations, and a refueling system. It has 13 weapons stations. The Rafale is a 9/11 G aircraft with a top speed of Mach 1.8 and reduced radar signature characteristics.
Why is all this important?
If US are looking for an aircraft to replace the A-10C, the Rafale offers an airframe capable of doing most of the things the A-10C does, especially when it comes to using precision-guided munitions.
It offers superior holding time, is capable of flying at slower speeds if required, but can also fly much faster, making it more responsive when needed - particularly important when troops are in contact and air support is needed immediately. But the real strength of the Rafale lies in the additional capabilities it brings over the A-10C.
With the AESA RBE2, the Rafale is equipped with one of the world's most powerful radars, capable of tracking and operating weapons beyond visual range (BVR), producing high-resolution SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) maps and sharing data over advanced data links. The Rafale is equipped as standard not only with the modern Link 16 link, but also with data fusion technology that enables sensor fusion, making the Rafale one of the most capable and connected fighters from day one of combat.
The addition of a Talios pod gives the Rafale long-range passive detection capability, even against less observable airborne adversaries (stealth). It is also equipped with wide-area cockpit displays to make the most of all this information.
The robustness of the Rafale's undercarriage and tail hook, as well as its refueling capability, make it ideally suited to austere and advanced operations in any theater, but especially in the Pacific.
Take the example of forward-based Rafales taking part in Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) operations with C-130s or A-400 Ms as part of a combat agile employment team jumping from island to island. Rafales could take off with reduced fuel loads, maximizing short-field performance, then refuel en route to their place of operation from the same in-flight refueling-equipped C-130 or A-400 M.
Even for strike or anti-surface warfare missions, among others, an A-400 M equipped with a forward-deployed in-flight refueling system could immediately refuel the weapon-laden Rafale once it had taken off, to maximize its short-field capabilities and range.
The Rafale can then recover after its mission using its hook and a mobile arresting device, making very short field operations not only more feasible, but also safer.
All this would enable independent distributed operations closer to the front line, posing major problems for adversary calculations and opening up new tactical possibilities for survival.
Compared with the A-10 C, the Rafale would be able to provide a more robust combination of standoff weapons, while also being able to make a significant contribution to air-to-air (A/A) warfare in an offensive or defensive role, while retaining its survivability. What's more, the Rafales have more advanced electronic warfare equipment that could prove very useful.
The Rafale would be a better match for the USAF's ACE concept than any aircraft currently in service. Possible weapons configurations, rugged landing gear and hooks, combined with the ability to refuel from a variety of less common tanker aircraft (including other Rafales), would enable island-hopping operations previously unthinkable for Air Force tactical jets.
In addition to ACE, Rafales could also fulfil the defensive air counter-attack (DCA) mission mentioned above, as well as anti-surface warfare and general reconnaissance missions. All these roles could prove invaluable in protecting even a temporary island outpost.
Flight characteristics
In terms of maneuverability, the A-10C and Rafale behave very similarly when engaged in descending turns. The Rafale's engines (17,000 lbs thrust each) would be a welcome change for any A-10C pilot, as they offer power management options unobtainable with high bypass ratio turbofan engines.
Up to five additional tanks can be added for extremely long endurance or refueling missions. Additional range would be particularly useful in the Pacific.
Weapons
The additional air-to-air (A/A) weapons that the Rafale brings to combat represent a major step forward compared with the A-10C's AIM-9M. The MICA IR and RF are already fully integrated, as is the METEOR.
On the air-to-ground side, the Rafale can carry just about any MK-82/83/84 series bomb, including laser-guided munitions, hammer 250 and 1000, Exocet anti-ship missile, Scalp EG land-attack missile and future FMAN/FMC.
Conclusion
The Rafale's ability to operate from short, austere airfields – from islands to roads – and to refuel from tankers capable of doing the same, meets one of the Air Force's greatest tactical imperatives at present.
Once again, the Rafales could have a huge impact on the Pacific Theater.
Interactive Graphic: Design Features Likely on The B-21 Raider | Aviation Week Network
A microcutaway of what we think we know about features on the U.S. Air Force’s next stealth bomber.
aviationweek.com
It would be a cold day in hell under a blue moon.
rear of the B-21 leaked ^^
look how far in the engines are.
look how far in the engines are.
Kratos Releases First Rendering Of Stealthy Thanatos UCAV | Aviation Week Network
Kratos briefings since 2018 have included references to a secret internal program named Thanatos, but the company had never before shown the concept.
aviationweek.com
B-2 has supposedly -40dBsm RCS(from frontal 120° arc), how low could B-21 be
@randomradio any guesses??
B-2 has supposedly -40dBsm RCS(from frontal 120° arc), how low could B-21 be
@randomradio any guesses??
No point in guessing.
Thanatos Advanced Stealth Drone Design Breaks Cover
Kratos says it hopes to have a contract related to Thanatos by next year from an undisclosed customer that could be the US Air Force.
www.thedrive.com
-70 is the number going around. I mentioned it earlier.B-2 has supposedly -40dBsm RCS(from frontal 120° arc), how low could B-21 be
@randomradio any guesses??
Damn! This is going to be a nightmare for air defence/surveillance radars to detect/track. I think looking at US VLO lead, this -70dBsm number looks pretty plausible.Thanatos Advanced Stealth Drone Design Breaks Cover
Kratos says it hopes to have a contract related to Thanatos by next year from an undisclosed customer that could be the US Air Force.
-70 is the number going around. I mentioned it earlier.
View: https://twitter.com/AirPowerNEW1/status/1721886559069491637?s=20
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First Laser Weapon For A Fighter Delivered To The Air Force
The Air Force now has all the major components for its pod-mounted defensive laser weapon, paving the way for first airborne tests.
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