Gates endorses new U.S. bomber project (B-3 'Bingo' Bomber)+ S O& |( W- W" ` Z& _
Posted 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.
$ i* |2 F+ a0 b) [3 ?0 @ E4 V"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. ) ]; ]8 p: d4 t; p
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."
1 r F' D2 j1 }) V eGates 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. $ B/ _3 j0 b$ ]+ l" e4 U6 [" i8 c
"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. % H* b- c& _) k) v
As recently as April, Gates pulled the plug on a potential $15 billion effort to build a new bomber to follow the radar-evading B-2, designed by Northrop Grumman Corp in the 1980s. ) r6 B) Z( J$ V 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.
' W, V' T0 H3 G- h5 h0 A# D" Y7 { qHe 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.
' \4 A: @8 v9 L& o, q9 DIn endorsing a follow-on bomber on Wednesday, "a prospective B-3, if you will," Gates noted the congressionally mandated review was still under way. |