Message posted by Peter Merlin (Member since 11/13/2003) on May 23, 2024 at 7:04:43 PST:
I believe the "RQ-180" was the ultimate manifestation of what came out of the SensorCraft studies. Unsurprisingly, the ultimate expression of Northrop Grumman's design philosophy for SensorCraft was a stealth flying wing that resembled both the original proposed B-2 configuration and the current B-21 Raider. It's a natural evolution for a low observable airframe. I also think Northrop Grumman's experience with designing and manufacturing the "RQ-180" gave the company an edge in the Next Generation Bomber (NGB) competition. It gave the company an opportunity to mature the technology. Scaling up for the B-21 wouldn't be that far a stretch. The "RQ-180" seems to meet a lot of the requirements for the proposed "family of systems" concept that was a hallmark of the NGB proposal. It provides a much-needed penetrating ISR capability, networking, and may even have a limited strike capability.
In Reply to: Re: B21 Test Flights posted by noskcaJ on May 22, 2024 at 21:30:55 PST:
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