An overview of this material in a foreign press represents the publication "Military Case".
The American journalist Lauren Thompson called the main problems of the United States Air Force Strategic Aviation. An overview of this material in a foreign press represents the publication "Military Case".
Strategic long-range strategic bombers who can carry heavy battle loads occupy a central place in US defense capability. The main task of these aircraft is to ensure the nuclear containment of potential opponents. The main advantage of the bomber in front of the ballistic rocket is that the plane can withdraw, and also use serious intent to demonstrate in the event of a crisis.
Lauren Thompson writes that today only 158 aircraft remained in the US strategic aviation park. It is 50% less than the quantity that was in service after the end of the Cold War. The service life of cars is approximately 45 years, and the fact of obsolescence of the American strategic aviation park is already evident. According to Thompson, only 40% (66 cars of all types) of the current aircraft fleet are able to carry nuclear weapons. The remaining bombers are improved in accordance with arms control agreements.
The author of the material notes that at the moment the state of the existing Fleet of Strategic Aviation Aviation US Air Force has already reached a point when confidence in Him, as to the power of retaliation, begins to decline consistently. For example, B-52 are too vulnerable to deliver bombs into well-protected airspace, and outdated winged rockets with a nuclear combat part can hardly be used after 2030.
According to the journalist, the US Air Force has no strength or the time to continuously maintain old aircraft and their weapons in a combat-ready state. The country's leadership postponed the moment of the start of the renewal and modernization of the park, and now any delay in the plans will undermine the value of bombers in the containment of nuclear aggression. The Park Update Plan implies the conclusion from the operation of 20 low-speed bombers B-2 by 2032 and 62 supersonic B-1 by 2036.
After such a cleaning and up to the middle of the 21st century, the Fleet of the Fall Strategic Aviation of the United States will consist only of two types of aircraft. Significantly upgraded B-52 Stratofortress and Secret B-21 Raider, which is planned for 2025.
It is the newest B-21 Lauren Thompson called one of the main and paramount problems. The fact is that in the project that won the StateContract to build the Northrop Grumman aircraft, the Air Force specialists have already revealed 10 disadvantages, and the loser tender Boeing is only four. Some of the issues that arose to the Northrop Grumman project concern the cost and schedule of the aircraft. In addition, bold and aggressive assumptions about the possibilities of the aircraft, laid down in the winning application, only add a riskiness program. The author of the material is confident that any breakdowns of deadlines or inconsistencies with the introduction of the newest B-21 will constantly force the Air Force command to revise their plans.
The second issue of American strategic aviation Lauren Thompson called the B-52 bomber armament. The winged rocket, which is designed to penetrate the opponent's protected airspace, was first applied in 1982. Now this weapon is already so old that its ability can still fly miracle. A miracle, of course, can continue further, but the ability of a subsonic missile punching the modern air defense of the enemy is more and more doubt.
The Air Force Decision is to replace existing missiles on new high-range winged rockets (LRSO). Rockets will be able to carry a nuclear combat part, and their flight range will be more than 1.5 thousand miles. This will not only ensure the penetration of the enemy's airspace, but also will help the crews of bombers to attack the goals that are far beyond the radius of the aircraft. In view of the fact that Russia and China are constantly improving the possibilities of their air defense, the release of these missiles should be urgently accelerated. The author of the material in the American press writes that Raytheon has already received a contract for the construction of LRSO, but if production is not launched soon, in-52 will be just useless.
It is noteworthy that by developing the program to modernize its strategic bombers, the Air Force prefer to remove newer cars with weapons. The oldest bomber in-52 Stratofortress will remain in the rank. On the one hand, it is logical. After all, the plane showed itself well and is very reliable. On the other hand, eight obsolete turbofan engines consume a huge amount of fuel. As Lauren Thompson writes, only after decades of discussion of the options for installing newer and more economical Air Force engines, finally decided to remove. It is very difficult.
If the replacement of the power plant will significantly change the characteristics of the aircraft, then complex requirements for re-certification may occur. Before the remodization of the US Air Force Bombarder will have to carefully examine all offers and minimize all possible risks. Especially, if we consider that, according to the plan of command, the B-52 should remain in the ranks until 2050.
Next, Thompson writes that the modernization of nuclear weapons will inevitably require the modernization of air tankers fleece. Air Force exploit about 500 tankers-tankers, the overwhelming majority of which are old KC-135, developed at the dawn of the reactive era.
To date, Boeing has already developed a modern guideline for the Air Force. The plane received the designation KC-46 Pegasus. The author of the article notes that now it is the most powerful tanker from ever built. However, due to a lack of remote assistance system when refueling a decision on full-scale production postponed at least seven years. According to the American analyst, braking with the construction of new tankers will weaken all US strategic aviation. Especially if the old KC-135 tankers begin massively write off due to the development of a designated resource. United States Air Force must be accelerated by the modernization of the tanker fleet to ensure adequate support to strategic bombers in the event of a nuclear crisis.
Earlier, the first photo of the new Russian strategic bomber Pak yes appeared.