Cost will be high if they plan to replace all tankers with these but price per unit will be astronomical if they just build a small batch... they will have to figure how to deal with that.Seems like a departure from the previous designs released... The shape makes me think of a supersonic stealth bomber as opposed to a tanker. Something about the nose section and wing sweep just looks more bomber like to my eye, but that is just the visual appearance. The cockpit looks like it might have room for two crew, and I wonder if you would have room for the boom operator?
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- Thread starter tphuang
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TerraN_EmpirE
Tyrant King
The KC46 despite its issues would be in service alongside these. Basically it appears the USAF is planning a two fleet scheme. One fleet of none stealth aircraft including legacy fighter, E7A, C17, C130, KC46 and more to operate in non contested airspace in support of the frontline fleet. This latter fleet would be where VLO aircraft would be. Working to break down air space denial networks and hunting intrusions. As they break down the enemies ability to deny space that allows conventional air to move up and establishing of access denial assets friendly to US forces.
So astronomical priced small batch... would be interesting if they can carry some cargo to do stealth drop.
TerraN_EmpirE
Tyrant King
A few points here.
I doubt KC-Z needed the same level of VLO as a B21. Rather it may have a simpler stealthy profile. It’s not actually suited mission wise to penetration missions rather it would be optimal to operate at the edges of contested airspace.
This is as the second the Boom extends to refuel an aircraft the boom is going to spike the aircraft’s RCS. Now that is only going to be an issue if the Aircraft is already inside the kill radius of an adversary. In the 1999 F117 the Serbs were only able to actually attack after the F117 was inside a dozen miles of the launcher and its bomb bay door opened.
Realistically KC-Z could sit at the fringe of a S400 system radar range refueling F35s and B21s without impunity as the VLW radar can’t complete the kill chain and the X band attack radar is blind to it.
But this factors in on your second question. It would make no sense. It would make no sense as the only reason you would need stealth cargo delivery is if you have someone operating inside denied airspace. Presumably this would be Special Operations. The problems then are. Although the tanker may immune the cargo is a red flag. It’s a red flag that you have intruders it’s a red flag of where to look for them. It’s a danger to the tanker which as you pointed out is probably very expensive.
Besides if you have Special operations in behind the lines like that why not just use what you used to get them there? Frankly stealth Cargo and Stealth Special operations infiltration I think is better suited to a dedicated aircraft type/types.
To get SOF on the ground in an air denial situation would mean one of 4 methods. First Amphibious insertion, Second covered aviation insertion, Third High Altitude High opening glide insertion or Fourth Very low Observable intrusion.
On the first we are probably talking Submarine.
On the Second covered aviation has all kinds of “fun” risks. Besides you probably still have to do a HALO or HAHO due to not wanting to expose how a civilian aircraft is actually a Military aircraft.
On the Third HAHO High Altitude High Opening jumps might get you 40 miles into denied airspace but with risk to the aircraft you just jumped from. Have to figure vs a conventional aircraft would if it hadn’t seen you already be spot lighting said aircraft if it’s ramp dropped. There were some technologies looking to extend the range of a HAHO drop Programmable High Altitude Single Soldier Transport sleds inspired the Die another day “switchblade” or the ESG Gryphon wing pack but the last I heard on those was over a decade ago.
Won’t suits don’t have the ability to haul a soldier with his equipment. So those are just Hollywood and paragliding doesn’t seem realistic either.
So Finally a This has been a want by US SOCOM for decades…. No wait not for… FOUR… . The aim being an aircraft somewhere between the size of a V22 and an A400M. Able to take off and land like a V22 but fly like a C17 with the RCS of a B2. Such an aircraft you wouldn’t drop cargo from at altitude because that would cause alarm bells somewhere. You would want this to be able to take off and land like a Pelican from Halo to be able to hover and drop cargo or just throw cargo out the back in a pass low altitude. You would want such a craft to be able to drop off SOF and pick them up. More importantly you want it air strip independent so you can use it for airport seizure missions.
Awesome photo of the B-21 in flight!
Awesome photo of the B-21 in flight!
Just a follow-up to this post with an article from The War Zone with a comparison between the B-2 and B-21
I suppose that should mean the B-21 pilots would be relying mostly on fuselage-mounted cameras while manually flying at lower altitudes?
Most probably, I could see removal of all window area and replacement with helmet mounted system and LCD to have 360 degree coverage in future systems.
TerraN_EmpirE
Tyrant King
The DAS and HMD from the F35 is basically what you are describing.
