Gates endorses new U.S. bomber project (B-3 'Bingo' Bomber)
& h7 O2 a- Y& MPosted on 2009年9月17日 3:20:49 by NormsRevenge
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% M: ?9 ?8 H; t% d$ y5 ]NATIONAL HARBOR, Maryland (Reuters) – Defense Secretary Robert Gates threw his support on Wednesday behind an on-again, off-again plan to develop a new long-range U.S. bomber, citing the military modernization of China. 2 |% A2 O8 k6 t5 ]* |0 N
"I am committed to seeing the United States has an airborne long-range strike capability," Gates said at an annual conference of the U.S. Air Force Association, an advocacy group.
1 d8 @& V B' kHe said the United States should be less concerned with a toe-to-toe challenge from "countries like China" and "more concerned with their ability to disrupt our freedom of movement and narrow our strategic options." 7 Z3 z K, z$ ` a! u4 ~
Gates referred to investments that "could threaten America's primary way to project power and help allies in the Pacific - in particular our forward air bases and carrier strike groups." He cited the threat from cyber- and anti-satellite warfare, anti-air and anti-ship weaponry as well as ballistic missiles. m l% p% d' V) l
"This would degrade the effectiveness of short-range fighters and put more of a premium on being able to strike from over the horizon - whatever form that capability might take," Gates said. . F0 D/ H4 y' n. Q; @9 ]5 g! u
As recently as April, Gates pulled the plug on a potential $15 billion effort to build a new bomber to follow the radar-evading B-2, designed by Northrop Grumman Corp in the 1980s.
; ]4 k" r& w C7 W"We will not pursue a development program for a follow-on Air Force bomber until we have a better understanding of the need, the requirement, and the technology," Gates said on April 6 while outlining his priorities for the fiscal 2010 defense budget. ' }. r2 D2 S3 n) Q8 R4 l; n0 S+ b$ p0 r
He said at the time the issue would be examined as part of the Quadrennial Defense Review, the Pentagon's blueprint for the next four years.
% g; x% ^, U' Z6 G! tIn endorsing a follow-on bomber on Wednesday, "a prospective B-3, if you will," Gates noted the congressionally mandated review was still under way. |