Gates endorses new U.S. bomber project (B-3 'Bingo' Bomber)
* f2 P# _8 W7 @* |! j9 OPosted on 2009年9月17日 3:20:49 by NormsRevenge* c4 @$ d( T) E' q% P
; y A- N6 f+ p2 {! N" fNATIONAL 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.
. O3 `; C7 p9 _* a"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.
. ^$ R' ^1 D6 x: }/ n2 |( jHe 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."
, A/ d* w3 T+ 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. + D' L% d0 F$ K
"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. 4 ^0 L! p" `- w# \) r8 T" L
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.
. ?- R2 }; j! q B. _"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.
* _; X j l. m0 H- |0 BHe 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. ! w! t ?8 X4 M. [: g
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. |