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Daniel Wasserbly, Washington, DC - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
28 October 2015
The current US bomber fleet. Source: IHS
The US Air Force (USAF) announced on 27 October that it had selected Northrop Grumman to build its new fleet of Long-Range Strike Bombers (LRS-Bs), which could possibly include about 100 aircraft.
This is major news and - if all goes well - a potential windfall for Northrop Grumman, although the secretive nature of the programme and the enticing prospect for a new-fangled aircraft perhaps overshadow the wider modernisation kicking off for the US 'nuclear triad' of bombers, intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBMs), and ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs).
Estimates for nuclear modernisation costs vary as they use different metrics, but in January the Congressional Budget Office projected current plans would cost USD348 billion in fiscal year 2015-24, an average of about USD35 billion annually, and reach USD1 trillion total into the 2040s.
LRS-B is by no means an insignificant part of that. USAF numbers indicate that developing and buying the aircraft will cost about USD79.94 billion (in 2016 dollars): a totalIHS Jane's arrived at using the service's expected average unit procurement cost of USD564 million for 100 aircraft plus USD23.54 billion in expected development costs, without factoring in life-cycle sustainment costs or future upgrades.
The figure also takes no account of the variety of equally secretive complementary systems for LRS-B to update the USAF's aerial nuclear strike capabilities. These elements include developing a Long-Range Standoff (LRSO) cruise missile to replace the nuclear-capable AGM-86 air-launched cruise missile, improved sensors for target location, and new survivable communications systems.
However, this will also occur while the air force seeks to upgrade its ageing ICBMs and related infrastructure. Officials are now assessing alternatives for replacing the Boeing LGM-30G Minuteman III missile through the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) programme. The USAF additionally plans to take the B61 nuclear bomb through a life-extension programme.
In one of the more costly efforts, the US Navy plans to replace its Ohio-class submarines with the Ohio-class replacement programme (ORP) and its Trident II D-5 missiles with a life-extension programme.
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(353 of 490 words)
How LRS-B fits into wider nuclear modernisation efforts - IHS Jane's 360
28 October 2015
The current US bomber fleet. Source: IHS
The US Air Force (USAF) announced on 27 October that it had selected Northrop Grumman to build its new fleet of Long-Range Strike Bombers (LRS-Bs), which could possibly include about 100 aircraft.
This is major news and - if all goes well - a potential windfall for Northrop Grumman, although the secretive nature of the programme and the enticing prospect for a new-fangled aircraft perhaps overshadow the wider modernisation kicking off for the US 'nuclear triad' of bombers, intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBMs), and ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs).
Estimates for nuclear modernisation costs vary as they use different metrics, but in January the Congressional Budget Office projected current plans would cost USD348 billion in fiscal year 2015-24, an average of about USD35 billion annually, and reach USD1 trillion total into the 2040s.
LRS-B is by no means an insignificant part of that. USAF numbers indicate that developing and buying the aircraft will cost about USD79.94 billion (in 2016 dollars): a totalIHS Jane's arrived at using the service's expected average unit procurement cost of USD564 million for 100 aircraft plus USD23.54 billion in expected development costs, without factoring in life-cycle sustainment costs or future upgrades.
The figure also takes no account of the variety of equally secretive complementary systems for LRS-B to update the USAF's aerial nuclear strike capabilities. These elements include developing a Long-Range Standoff (LRSO) cruise missile to replace the nuclear-capable AGM-86 air-launched cruise missile, improved sensors for target location, and new survivable communications systems.
However, this will also occur while the air force seeks to upgrade its ageing ICBMs and related infrastructure. Officials are now assessing alternatives for replacing the Boeing LGM-30G Minuteman III missile through the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) programme. The USAF additionally plans to take the B61 nuclear bomb through a life-extension programme.
In one of the more costly efforts, the US Navy plans to replace its Ohio-class submarines with the Ohio-class replacement programme (ORP) and its Trident II D-5 missiles with a life-extension programme.
Want to read more? For analysis on this article and access to all our insight content, please enquire about our subscription options ihs.com/contact
To read the full article, Client Login
(353 of 490 words)
How LRS-B fits into wider nuclear modernisation efforts - IHS Jane's 360
