Posted on Oct 30, 2015
USAF chooses Northrop Grumman to build new strategic bomber
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The US Air Force (USAF) has chosen Northrop Grumman to build its new fleet of Long-Range Strike Bombers (LRS-Bs), besting a team of Boeing and Lockheed Martin, officials announced at the Pentagon on 27 October.
USAF secretary Deborah Lee James said the LRS-B is crucial to maintaining the US nuclear deterrent due to the advanced age of its existing bomber fleets. The USAF also needs the new aircraft to counter the proliferation of anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) technology, she said.
The LRS-B deal is composed of two parts: the contract for the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase is a cost-reimbursable type contract with cost and performance incentives that minimise the contractor's profit if cost estimates and schedules are not met; and options for the first five production lots, comprising 21 aircraft out of the total fleet of 100, are fixed-price options with incentives for cost.
An independent cost estimate for the EMD phase was USD21.4 billion in 2010 dollars, while the average procurement unit cost (APUC) per aircraft is USD511 million (or USD564 million per aircraft in 2016 dollars), officials said.
Officials declined, however, to comment on how many of the first 21 units will be test aircraft. They did not reveal any design or performance details of the aircraft, nor did they disclose which subcontractors will work on the effort. Northrop Grumman declined to release an image of the new aircraft.
Officials have previously said that the air force's Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO) will continue to manage development of the new platform with open architectures, allowing for technology insertions over the life of the fleet. This approach is expected to mitigate obsolescence and reduce cost by allowing the Pentagon to compete contracts for new technology as it emerges.
http://www.janes.com/article/55570/usaf-chooses-northrop-grumman-to-build-new-strategic-bomber
USAF secretary Deborah Lee James said the LRS-B is crucial to maintaining the US nuclear deterrent due to the advanced age of its existing bomber fleets. The USAF also needs the new aircraft to counter the proliferation of anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) technology, she said.
The LRS-B deal is composed of two parts: the contract for the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase is a cost-reimbursable type contract with cost and performance incentives that minimise the contractor's profit if cost estimates and schedules are not met; and options for the first five production lots, comprising 21 aircraft out of the total fleet of 100, are fixed-price options with incentives for cost.
An independent cost estimate for the EMD phase was USD21.4 billion in 2010 dollars, while the average procurement unit cost (APUC) per aircraft is USD511 million (or USD564 million per aircraft in 2016 dollars), officials said.
Officials declined, however, to comment on how many of the first 21 units will be test aircraft. They did not reveal any design or performance details of the aircraft, nor did they disclose which subcontractors will work on the effort. Northrop Grumman declined to release an image of the new aircraft.
Officials have previously said that the air force's Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO) will continue to manage development of the new platform with open architectures, allowing for technology insertions over the life of the fleet. This approach is expected to mitigate obsolescence and reduce cost by allowing the Pentagon to compete contracts for new technology as it emerges.
http://www.janes.com/article/55570/usaf-chooses-northrop-grumman-to-build-new-strategic-bomber
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IHS Jane's
Northrop Grumman Corporation
IHS Jane's Northrop Grumman Corporation
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 3
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This 10 year contract to develop and deliver the new fleet of Long-Range Strike Bombers (LRS-Bs) will certainly cost more than the $55B contract. 100 bombers at $564 million per aircraft in 2016 dollars is amazingly expensive. The sparing and repair requirements and the modifications to the USAF sustainment capabilities will be significant in terms of changes and scope.
Airmen and women will be required to be trained on all aspects of the new bomber from support, to armaments, to communications, to all other required software and hardware calibration, maintenance, and operations not to mention flight crews, operational employment doctrine, etc.
Airmen and women will be required to be trained on all aspects of the new bomber from support, to armaments, to communications, to all other required software and hardware calibration, maintenance, and operations not to mention flight crews, operational employment doctrine, etc.
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MCPO Roger Collins
What is wrong with the B-2? The B-52 is still active after decades of upgrades and quite effective. This seems to be suspect.
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LTC Stephen F.
MCPO Roger Collins - I wholeheartedly concur with you in terms of the B2 and even the venerable B-52. I am hopeful the A-10 will continue to serve for a decade or more. I hope the people who developed the need for the next gen bomber are designing it so that current aerial refueling systems will be able to support it sufficiently without sending us a bill to develop the future refueling capability systems.
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SSgt Alex Robinson
SCPO David Lockwood of course there will be it wouldn't be a government contract without them
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The LRS-B will likely follow the B-2 and be more stealthy, nothing wrong with that, but I miss the XB-70. Just sayin.
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