Air Force To Begin Long-Range Strike Study In October
09/22/2005 10:11:05 AM
By Marc Selinger
A study of options to modernize the U.S. Air Force's long-range strike capabilities is scheduled to begin next month, according to a spokeswoman at Air Combat Command.
The study, or analysis of alternatives (AOA), is expected to last a year.
Several contractors have been exploring long-range strike concepts that could undergo further review as part of the AOA. Northrop Grumman, for instance, has been looking at ideas to upgrade the B-2 bomber, develop missiles and unmanned combat aircraft, and modify the YF-23, which lost an Air Force fighter competition to Lockheed Martin's YF-22, said Gene Fraser, vice president of long-range strike integrated systems at Northrop Grumman.
The Air Force wants to start fielding new capabilities in about 2018, but it is unclear whether it will be able to afford to develop them amid growing federal budget constraints.
Aviation Week.