Gates endorses new U.S. bomber project (B-3 'Bingo' Bomber)
# S9 L, {( U5 b) p& `0 Z* N0 MPosted on 2009年9月17日 3:20:49 by NormsRevenge
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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. . G% K4 Q2 H6 ?( z/ x ? B
"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.
* e s# O+ A# M" o6 j* _. {He 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." ; t4 w; ]2 f5 }6 u
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. & `7 g: V4 F9 k) }9 j7 H8 I
"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. 9 @2 V5 T9 A0 Z9 }
As recently as April, Gates pulled the plug on a potential $15 billion effort to build a new bomber to follow the radar-evading B-2, designed by Northrop Grumman Corp in the 1980s.
! A( ^% |$ g0 ^ a"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.
; L9 ^/ S% y! y3 H4 S8 h6 uHe 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. ' N' G: ^1 M+ r
In endorsing a follow-on bomber on Wednesday, "a prospective B-3, if you will," Gates noted the congressionally mandated review was still under way. |