29 novembre 2018 | International, Aérospatial

Will the Thai Air Force get more Gripen jets?

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SURAT THANI AIR FORCE BASE, Thailand — The Royal Thai Air Force's Wing 7, home to all of the country's Saab Gripen aircraft, wants more jets. The question is whether the country's defense budget will allow for it, one official said Tuesday.

“As operators, we know that this is a very good aircraft, and we would love to have more,” said Group Capt. Prachya Tippayarat, deputy commander of the RTAF's Wing 7. “But it's just that I don't know when. The Air Force will have to think about that.”

The RTAF currently operates 11 Gripen C/D fighter jets, bought from the Swedish government and manufactured by Saab. The Air Force lost one Gripen in a 2017 crash that destroyed the jet and killed the pilot.

With 11 jets left, it is more difficult to accomplish both training and maintenance, Tippayarat said.

“So of course we are looking for the replacement for the 12th one. It's just a matter of when. As the operator, we cannot tell when we are going to have that aircraft,” he said, adding that the service might have other budget priorities.

Thailand's 11 Gripen aircraft are operated from Surat Thani Air Force Base, located about 328 miles south of Bangkok. Defense News visited the base Nov. 27-28 and accepted airfare and accommodations from Saab.

Surat Thani plays a key role in defending southern Thailand. Although the nation also operates Northrop Grumman F-5s and Lockheed Martin F-16s, Wing 7's Gripens are the Royal Thai Air Force's premier fighters, used primarily for air-to-air and air-to-ground combat, and for secondary missions such as reconnaissance, Tippayarat said.

The Thai government is also considering an upgrade of the RTAF Gripens' software suite, he added. The jets are currently configured to the MS19 standard, but the potential upgrade to MS20 would bring the jets into the most advanced configuration for the Gripen C/D.

The MS20 software adds capabilities that make the Gripen a more formidable jet for air-to-ground attacks, including an electro-optical pod that allows the jet to drop laser-guided weapons, the addition of Boeing's Small Diameter Bomb and MBDA's Meteor missile, and new radar modes.

One MS20 enhancement that the RTAF won't need is the addition of Link 16 capability, the data link used by NATO and its partner nations. The RTAF Gripens run on the Thai military's indigenous network, Link T. If Link 16 functionality is needed, the service can use its F-16s, but operating Link T on the Gripen allows Thailand to protect its homegrown capabilities and information, Tippayarat said.

Saab delivered the first Gripens to Thailand in 2011. Other Gripen C/D users include Sweden, Hungary, the Czech Republic and South Africa.

https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2018/11/28/will-the-thai-air-force-get-more-gripens

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  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - August 12, 2020

    13 août 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - August 12, 2020

    ARMY Moderna TX Inc.,* Cambridge, Massachusetts, was awarded a $1,525,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for 100 million filled drug production doses of a SARS-CoV-2 mRNA-1273 vaccine. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2022. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Army) funds in the amount of $1,525,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911QY-20-C-0100). (Awarded Aug. 11, 2020) Messer Construction Co., Dayton, Ohio, was awarded a $126,324,295 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of the National Air and Space Intelligence Center Intelligence Production Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 29, 2023. Fiscal 2020 military construction, defense-wide funds in the amount of $126,324,295 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky, is the contracting activity (W912QR-20-C-0030). HGL-APTIM JV,* Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $110,000,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for environmental construction activities in support of the Welsbach General Gas Mantle Superfund Site in Camden and Gloucester City, Camden County, New Jersey. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 11, 2025. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City, Missouri, is the contracting activity (W912DQ-20-D-3003). Total Technology Inc.,* Cherry Hill, New Jersey (W15QKN-18-D-0073, P00001); Logisys Technical Services Inc.,* Huntsville, Alabama (W15QKN-18-D-0077, P00001); and Pioneering Decisive Solutions Inc.,* California, Maryland (W15QKN-18-D-0078, P00002), will compete for each order of a $92,992,323 modification for an automated test system testing/diagnostics and netcentric support program. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 20, 2023. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Newark, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., Mesa, Arizona, was awarded an $11,701,146 modification (P00063) to contract W58RGZ-16-C-0023 for remanufactured Apache AH-64E aircraft. Work will be performed in Mesa, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2023. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $11,701,146 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Rolling Meadows, Illinois, was awarded a $10,008,657 modification (PZ0005) to contract W58RGZ-20-C-0018 for the re-manufacturing and delivery of the APR-39C(V)1 radar data processor. Work will be performed in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 11, 2023. Fiscal 2020 Foreign Military Sales (Saudi Arabia, United Emirates and Qatar) funds in the amount of $10,008,657 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. APC Construction LLC,* Harvey, Louisiana, was awarded an $8,942,389 firm-fixed-price contract for clearing and grubbing; structural excavation and backfill, excavation and embankments; placement of steel sheet and H-piling; construction of reinforced concrete floodwalls and deployable floodwalls; concrete scour protection, asphaltic pavement; chain link fences; concrete curbs and gutters; pavement markings; miscellaneous metal work, painting, turf establishment; and other related incidental work. Bids were solicited via the internet with 11 received. Work will be performed in New Orleans, Louisiana, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 6, 2022. Fiscal 2020 military construction (Army) funds in the amount of $8,942,389 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, Louisiana, is the contracting activity (W912P8-20-C-0039). NAVY Amentum Services Inc., Germantown, Maryland, is awarded a $430,016,852 cost-plus-award-fee, cost reimbursement and firm-fixed-price contract for the operation and maintenance of the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC). AUTEC is the Navy's large-area, deep-water, undersea test and evaluation range. Underwater research, testing and evaluation of anti-submarine weapons, sonar tracking and communications are the predominant activities conducted at AUTEC. The contractor performs AUTEC range operations support services and maintenance of facilities and range systems. In addition, the contractor is responsible for operating a self-sufficient one square mile Navy outpost. Work will be performed on Andros Island, Commonwealth of the Bahamas (64%); and West Palm Beach, Florida (36%), and is expected to be complete by August 2025. With all options exercised, work will continue through August 2030. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $1,000,000 will be obligated at time of award and not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured using full and open competition via the Federal Business Opportunities website with six offers received in response to Solicitation No. N66604-18-R-0881. The Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Newport Division, Newport, Rhode Island, is the contracting activity (N66604-20-C-0881). Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., Greenbelt, Maryland, is awarded a $149,115,855 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of Hurricane Florence Recovery Package 1 located in Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point. The contract also contains 21 planned modifications and six unexercised options, which if exercised, would increase cumulative contract value to $161,250,305. This project provides replacements for various buildings damaged during Hurricane Florence. The proposed replacements are divided into five separate projects: (1) construction of a 23,000 square foot, two-story security building and a 15,000 square foot, two-story headquarters and headquarters squadron (H&HS) and Marine wing headquarters squadron (MWHS-2) facility. The new security facility will be comprised of the following areas: a command staff, operations division, accident investigation section, special reaction team, Naval Criminal Investigation Service, provost marshal office supply, traffic court, services/administrative division, weapons storage, emergency dispatch center, motor transport, animal control, training, physical security, detention cells, exercise/fitness room, galley/breakroom, and male and female lockers/shower area and bunk rooms. The H&HS and MWHS-2 headquarters facility will consist of administration space for both squadron's personnel and for the safety and standardization department. Site improvements include demolition, paved roads, parking, and fencing. (2) Construction of a 36,000 square foot vehicle maintenance shop. The new facility will include a vehicle maintenance shop, tool rooms, communication maintenance shop, storage areas, a classroom, exterior elevated vehicle wash rack with associated oil/water separator, enclosed battery storage and administrative offices. Site improvements include roads, parking, utilities, and fencing. (3) Fire stations replacement involving construction of a 32,000 square foot main fire station with five bays and a 12,000 square foot satellite fire station with two bays. Construction will include a fire hose drying rack, storage room, dayroom, training area, dining room, kitchen, exercise room, medical supply storage area, boat storage, administrative space, dispatch center, workroom, laundry, fire extinguisher maintenance room, self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) room, toilets and shower rooms for male and females and individual sleeping quarters with personnel lockers. Built-in equipment includes a compressed air system for vehicle maintenance, firefighter gear lockers, overhead vehicle doors, equipment racks, raised flooring, fire pump, vehicle bay radiant heating, grease trap, overhead hose reels, gear washer/dryer/extractor, cascade system for SCBA room testing, public address system, built-in work benches, vehicle exhaust system and emergency generator. Site improvements include utilities, parking, roadway and intersection improvements. (4) Range operations center (ROC) replacement involving construction of a 15,000 square foot ROC to support range management activities at Bombing Target 11. This facility will house the range operations and support center, weapons impact scoring system, electronics maintenance shop, public works maintenance shop, general purpose warehouse and appropriate support spaces. Site improvements include utilities and roadway. The site is only accessible by boat. (5) Station academic facility/auditorium involving construction of a 21,000 square foot general-purpose auditorium to provide an assembly area for instruction, training, and movies. The new facility will include adequate space for instruction/training, entrance and support spaces. Built-in equipment includes a stage, overhead doors, projector, screen, sound system, noise attenuation, seats and retail kitchenette. Site improvements include demolition, utilities and a parking lot. Work will be performed in Cherry Point, North Carolina, and is expected to be completed by August 2025. Fiscal 2019 military construction (MILCON), Marine Corps (MC) contract funds in the amount of $132,325,843; and fiscal 2020 MILCON, MC contract funds in the amount of $16,790,012, are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov website with 11 proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-20-C-0055). DZSP 21 LLC, Marlton, New Jersey, is awarded a $48,586,983 cost-plus-award-fee contract for base operating support services at Joint Region Marianas. The maximum dollar value, including the mobilization, base period, six 12-month option periods, nine-month full performance, three-month demobilization and a six-month services extension period, is $545,318,090. The work to be performed provides for facility support and base operating support for the following services: management and administration, port operations, facilities management, facilities investment, utilities management, electrical, wastewater, steam, water and base support vehicles and equipment. Work will be performed at various locations on the island of Guam and is expected to be completed by April 2028. Fiscal 2020 working capital funds (WCF) (Defense); fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (O&M) (Navy (N), Defense); fiscal 2020 family housing O&M, N; fiscal 2020 O&M (Army National Guard); fiscal 2020 Defense Health Program funds; fiscal 2020 General Fund (formerly Navy WCF); fiscal 2020 Defense Commissary Agency; and fiscal 2020 Medical Facilities (Veterans Affairs) contract funds in the amount of $48,586,983, of which $8,975,667 will be obligated on this award and all will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunity website with five proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62742-20-C-1199). The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded $15,620,949 firm-fixed-price order N00019-20-F-0402 against previously issued basic ordering agreement N00019-16-G-0001. This order provides for the production and delivery of 25 Harpoon Block II+ captive air training missiles and 24 tactical missiles. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri (65.2%); Galena, Kansas (8.5%); Lititz, Pennsylvania (3.99%); McAlester, Oklahoma (2.76%); Anniston, Alabama (2.58%); Chatsworth, California (2.15%); Minneapolis, Minnesota (2.06%); Chandler, Arizona (2.03%); Cedar Rapids, Iowa (1.53%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (9.2%), and is expected to be completed in August 2023. Fiscal 2020 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $15,620,949 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Capco LLC, Grand Junction, Colorado, is awarded a $13,296,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the manufacture of M943 impulse cartridges used on B-1B and B-52H aircraft during the ejection sequence. The contract includes a five-year ordering period with no options. All work will be performed in Grand Junction, Colorado, and the ordering period is expected to be completed by August 2025. Fiscal 2020 ammunition procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $837,900 will be obligated for delivery order N00104-20-F-UF01 that will be awarded concurrently with the contract and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Annual fiscal ammunition procurement (Army) funds will be obligated to fund delivery orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured, with three offers received. Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N00104-20-D-VF01). The Boeing Co., Seattle, Washington, is awarded a $12,825,294 modification (P00178) to previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract N00019-14-C-0067. This modification provides non-recurring and recurring engineering for development and integration of a modified Nose Radome into the P-8A aircraft in support of Lot 10 full rate production VI for the Navy and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. Work will be performed in Meza, Arizona (59%); Seattle, Washington (40%); and Patuxent River, Maryland (1%), and is expected to be completed in March 2022. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,306,274; and FMS funds in the amount of $5,519,020, will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Great Eastern Group Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is awarded a modification to exercise and fund an option in the amount of $9,108,903. This is the first 12-month option and is part of a firm-fixed-price contract with reimbursable elements for Offshore Support Vessel Hercules. This vessel will be utilized to support refueling and resupply of the special mission ship SBX-1. This contract includes a 12-month base period, three 12-month option periods, and one 11-month option period. Work will be performed in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command's area of responsibility and is expected to be completed, if all options are exercised, by July 15, 2024. The option is funded by fiscal 2020 and 2021 research, development, test and evaluation funds. The Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N32205-19-C-3500). JOINT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CENTER Deloitte Consulting LLC, Arlington, Virginia, was awarded a Systems Engineering, Technology, and Innovation prime integrator task order (HC102820F2000) for an estimated $106,352,518 to design and build the Joint Common Foundation artificial intelligence development environment for the Department of Defense Joint Artificial Intelligence Center. The period of performance is a one-year base period from Aug. 17, 2020, through Aug. 16, 2021, valued at approximately $31,000,000, with three one-year option periods through August 16, 2024. Work will be performed in the greater Washington, D.C., area. The contracting activity is the Defense Information Systems Activity/Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. AIR FORCE The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a $95,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00005) to contract FA8681-19-D-0005 for Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) technical support and integration. Boeing will provide JDAM support for studies and analysis; product improvement and upgrades; integration including, but not limited to, software integration and aircraft integration; and associated hardware and testing. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri, and is expected to be completed March 31, 2024. No funds are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity. Net-centric Design Professionals LLC, Boulder, Colorado, has been awarded a $28,613,576 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Tools, Applications and Processing Laboratory and Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) Battlespace Awareness Center (OBAC) support services. This contract provides for an unrestricted research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E) innovation environment for enhancing and/or developing new operational capabilities, while also providing an environment accessible to other Department of Defense, civil and commercial users to find new innovative uses of remote sensing data. The acquisition will also support the OPIR OBAC co-located with the Space Based Infrared System Mission Control Station, Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado. Work will be performed in Boulder and Aurora, Colorado, and is expected to be completed Aug. 31, 2022. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and five offers were received. 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Fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $16,482,440 will be obligated once funding has been appropriated. This contract action is being awarded under the Availability of Funds Clause. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Laboratories, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, has been awarded a $14,756,832 cost-per-fixed-fee contract for the research and development of a prototype semantic forensic system that automatically detects, attributes and characterizes falsified, multi-modal media assets to defend against large-scale, automated disinformation attacks and supports a variety of potential transition partners. The scope of this effort is to design, develop, evaluate and refine a semantic forensics system capable of implementation on a number of local and cloud computing architectures for a variety of end users. Work will be performed in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and is expected to be completed October 2024. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 37 offers were received. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $2,576,175 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity (FA8750-20-C-1540). DEFENSE FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING SERVICE CACI Inc.-Federal, Chantilly, Virginia, is being awarded a maximum $59,296,656 labor-hour contract for comptroller mission systems support. Work will be performed in Chantilly, Virginia; and Arlington, Virginia, with an expected completion date of June 15, 2021. The contract has a 10-month base period with three individual one-year option periods. This contract is the result of a competitive acquisition for which one quote was received. Fiscal 2020 defense-wide operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $9,830,074 are being obligated at the time of the award. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Contract Services Directorate, Columbus, Ohio, is the contracting activity (HQ0423-20-F-0099). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Raytheon Technologies Corp., doing business as Pratt & Whitney Military Engines Division, East Hartford, Connecticut, has been awarded an estimated $30,143,455 modification (P00065) to a five-year contract (SPE4AX-15-D-9436) with one five-year option period for TF-33 aircraft engine spare-components. Location of performance is Connecticut, with a Sept. 26, 2023, ordering period end date. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2310984/source/GovDelivery/

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  • In a future USAF bomber force, old and ugly beats new and snazzy

    28 juillet 2020 | International, Aérospatial

    In a future USAF bomber force, old and ugly beats new and snazzy

    Robert Burns, The Associated Press WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. — In the topsy-turvy world of U.S. strategic bombers, older and uglier sometimes beats newer and snazzier. As the Air Force charts a bomber future in line with the Pentagon's new focus on potential war with China or Russia, the youngest and flashiest — the stealthy B-2, costing a hair-raising $2 billion each — is to be retired first. The oldest and stodgiest — the Vietnam-era B-52 — will go last. It could still be flying when it is 100 years old. This might seem to defy logic, but the elite group of men and women who have flown the bat-winged B-2 Spirit accept the reasons for phasing it out when a next-generation bomber comes on line. “In my mind, it actually does make sense to have the B-2 as an eventual retirement candidate,” says John Avery, who flew the B-2 for 14 years from Whiteman Air Force Base in western Missouri. He and his wife, Jennifer, were the first married couple to serve as B-2 pilots; she was the first woman to fly it in combat. The Air Force sees it as a matter of money, numbers and strategy. The Air Force expects to spend at least $55 billion to field an all-new, nuclear-capable bomber for the future, the B-21 Raider, at the same time the Pentagon will be spending hundreds of billions of dollars to replace all of the other major elements of the nation's nuclear weapons arsenal. The Air Force also is spending heavily on new fighters and refueling aircraft, and like the rest of the military it foresees tighter defense budgets ahead. The B-2′s viability suffers from the fact that only 21 were built, of which 20 remain. That leaves little slack in the supply chain for unique spare parts. It is thus comparatively expensive to maintain and to fly. It also is seen as increasingly vulnerable against air defenses of emerging war threats like China. Then there is the fact that the B-52, which entered service in the mid-1950s and is known to crews as the Big Ugly Fat Fellow, keeps finding ways to stay relevant. It is equipped to drop or launch the widest array of weapons in the entire Air Force inventory. The plane is so valuable that the Air Force twice in recent years has brought a B-52 back from the grave — taking long-retired planes from a desert “boneyard” in Arizona and restoring them to active service. Strategic bombers have a storied place in U.S. military history, from the early days of the former Strategic Air Command when the only way America and the former Soviet Union could launch nuclear weapons at each other was by air, to the B-52′s carpet bombing missions in Vietnam. Developed in secrecy in the 1980s, the B-2 was rolled out as a revolutionary weapon — the first long-range bomber built with stealth, or radar-evading, technology designed to defeat the best Soviet air defenses. By the time the first B-2 was delivered to the Air Force in 1993, however, the Soviet Union had disintegrated and the Cold War had ended. The plane made its combat debut in the 1999 Kosovo war. It flew a limited number of combat sorties over Iraq and Afghanistan and has launched only five combat sorties since 2011, all in Libya. The last was a 2017 strike notable for the fact that it pitted the world's most expensive and exotic bomber against a flimsy camp of Islamic State group militants. “It has proved its worth in the fight, over time,” says Col. Jeffrey Schreiner, who has flown the B-2 for 19 years and is commander of the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman, which flies and maintains the full fleet. But after two decades of fighting small wars and insurgencies, the Pentagon is shifting its main focus to what it calls “great power competition” with a rising China and a resurgent Russia, in an era of stiffer air defenses that expose B-2 vulnerabilities. Thus the Pentagon's commitment to the bomber of the future — the B-21 Raider. The Air Force has committed to buying at least 100 of them. The plane is being developed in secrecy to be a do-it-all strategic bomber. A prototype is being built now, but the first flight is not considered likely before 2022. Bombers are legend, but their results are sometimes regretted. A B-2 bomber scarred U.S.-China relations in 1999 when it bombed Beijing's embassy in the Serbian capital of Belgrade, killing three people. China denounced the attack as a “barbaric act,” while the U.S. insisted it was a grievous error. The Air Force had planned to keep its B-2s flying until 2058 but will instead retire them as the B-21 Raider arrives in this decade. Also retiring early will be the B-1B Lancer, which is the only one of the three bomber types that is no longer nuclear-capable. The Air Force proposes to eliminate 17 of its 62 Lancers in the coming year. The B-52, however, will fly on. It is so old that it made a mark on American pop culture more than half a century ago. It lent its name to a 1960s beehive hairstyle that resembled the plane's nosecone, and the plane featured prominently in Stanley Kubrick's 1964 black comedy, “Dr. Strangelove.” More than once, the B-52 seemed destined to go out of style. “We're talking about a plane that ceased production in 1962 based on a design that was formulated in the late 1940s,” says Loren Thompson, a defense analyst at the Lexington Institute, a Washington think-tank. Rather than retire it, the Air Force is planning to equip the Boeing behemoth with new engines, new radar technology and other upgrades to keep it flying into the 2050s. It will be a “stand off” platform from which to launch cruise missiles and other weapons from beyond the reach of hostile air defenses. In Thompson's view, the Air Force is making a simple calculation: The B-52 costs far less to operate and maintain than the newer but finickier B-2. “They decided the B-52 was good enough,” he says. https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2020/07/26/in-a-future-usaf-bomber-force-old-and-ugly-beats-new-and-snazzy/

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