Bomber Ideas

By Christopher J. Castelli / May 22, 2009 at 5:00 AM

The Pentagon’s next-generation bomber should probably be a very-low observable, nuclear-capable, manned aircraft with a moderate capability and moderate range, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz told an audience at the Center for Strategic and International Studies last evening.

However, he added, the parameters for the aircraft have not yet been officially defined. When the Pentagon prepared its fiscal year 2010 budget plan, Defense Secretary Robert Gates was not comfortable with where the service was with the program, Schwartz noted. The general said Gates has not yet settled on the bomber’s parameters, but the Air Force will work to persuade the defense secretary to embrace its ideas.

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