Aircraft

The US Air Force's next-generation long-range strike (NGLRS) aircraft will be subsonic, with less range and payload than the B-2, believes Northrop Grumman. "We don't believe NGLRS will replace the B-2, and think it will be complementary," says Dave Mazur, the company's vice-president, long-range strike and B-2 programme manager.

The USAF launched its LRS analysis of alternatives in September, with the results expected early next year. Northrop, Boeing and Lockheed Martin submitted the results of $10 million study contracts in October. These covered the four main NGLRS options - subsonic, supersonic, manned and unmanned - as well as key propulsion, materials and weapons technologies.

Because the USAF is aiming for initial operational capability by 2018 - and 2016 has been talked about, says Mazur - industry expects NGLRS to use available technology. "What we are hearing is it will be subsonic, with 2,500-3,000nm [4,500-5,500km] range and 20,000-25,000lb [9,000-11,000kg] payload," he says. The USAF's B-2 has an 11,000km range and 18,000kg payload.

Mazur says "the propulsion technology is not there", for a supersonic solution, although the US Air Force Research Laboratory is working on the Advanced Versatile Engine Technology programme to develop a dual-mode engine able to operate efficiently at both subsonic and supersonic speeds.

While NGLRS could be unmanned, the nuclear strike mission is expected to dictate the vehicle is "mannable", says Mazur, adding: "It's too early to say. We expect to get answers over the next six months to a year as the USAF gets a better definition."