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US Military Working On 'Optionally-Manned' Bomber

Posted by Soulskill on from the contract-paid-by-skynet dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Despite massive budget deficits, the U.S. military is working towards a stealthy and 'optionally-manned' bomber capable of carrying nuclear weapons. The craft is intended to replace the 1960s B-52, 1970s B-1 and 1990s B-2 bombers. The new aircraft is meant to be a big part of the U.S. 'pivot' to the Pacific. With China sporting anti-ship weapons that could sink U.S. carriers from a distance, a new bomber is now a top priority."

2 of 278 comments (clear)

  1. Cost? Hah. by jeffb+(2.718) · · Score: 3, Funny

    FTFA:

    Then-U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates suspended the bomber development in 2009, citing out-of-control cost and technical ambition.

    Soon thereafter, current Secretary Leon Panetta gave the relevant committee members a few good, hard slaps, and they all woke up, shuddered, and went back to shoveling money into the bottomless maw.

  2. Re:Slim Pickens in Dr. Strangelove? by similar_name · · Score: 5, Funny

    Ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which I will not put.