Posted on 11/24/2009 1:29:51 AM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
The U.S. Air Force has backed away from developing a new electronic warfare aircraft. Now it will rely on UAVs equipped with jammers, and electronic jamming pods on non-specialized (as jamming aircraft) warplanes. This was not the preferred approach. Last year, the air force revived a program to convert some of its B-52 heavy bombers into radar jamming aircraft. This would be done by equipping the bombers with jamming pods (that are similar in appearance to large bombs). The air force planned to buy 24 sets of pods, for a force of 34 B-52s. Each pair of pods would cost about $100 million (including development.) There would be some modification to the B-52s, so members of the crew could operate the jammers. But this effort was cancelled earlier this year, largely for the same reason a more ambitious EB-52 was canceled in 2005 (when projected cost soared from one billion to seven billion dollars, since work began in 2002.)
Back in the 1980s and 90s, a version of the F-111 carried out this electronic warfare function, and did it very well. But the air force retired the EF-111 a decade ago, and agreed to split the cost, and share the use, of U.S. Navy jamming aircraft. The navy is now introducing the EA-18G jamming aircraft (based on the F-18) to replace the 40 year old EA-6B jamming aircraft.
The air force believes the navy won't buy enough EA-18Gs to meet navy and air force needs. So the air force wants to have something of their own to help out. The navy plans to buy about fifty EA-18Gs, for about $73 million each. It would have taken at least five years to get the EB-52 into service.
(Excerpt) Read more at strategypage.com ...
They can really throw out some trons.
How about an EB-1B? That’s an airframe in search of a mission currently anyway. With wings swept back it could dash forward along with the strike package, and then when in place it could transition to a wings-forward attitude to linger on orbit and jam at will for any necessary SEAD over the battle space.
But B-1s are horribly expensive to operate. And I doubt that R&D for an EB-1 would be any cheaper than for an EB-52.
TC
On the surface, it seems to me that a modern generation SAM/AAM with a HARM seeker could be developed that would render a jamming aircraft highly vulnerable.
Plenty of dough in the coffers to buy new cars for his constituents, but the president cuts corners on the defense of the nation and the American people; what’s wrong with this picture?
So you’re thinking a Billions for Bombers program much like Cash for Clunkers?
If it’s defense related Obama is against it.
>>>The normal B-52s aren’t half bad as radar jammers. They can really throw out some trons.
They’d need most of it to disguise their own barn-size native radar return before worrying about protecting the strike force, which they couldn’t keep up with anyway.
As few B52s as remain in the fleet, maybe its best they remain bomb trucks, a job for which we have no peer.
>>>How about an EB-1B?
A more sensible alternative, but the drones seem to be progressing so quickly that is likely the best ultimate choice. Actual stealth built in, and no crew on the bullseye.
You are showing a little ignorance here.
“They’d need most of it to disguise their own barn-size native radar return before worrying about protecting the strike force, which they couldn’t keep up with anyway.”
“As few B52s as remain in the fleet...”
1. You don’t need to disguise your own radar return when you are in fact jamming all radars right off the air. It was well-known in the Cold War Era that a B-52 back then could already jam an area the size of New England off the air.
2. B-52s have more than enough speed to keep up with any ingressing fighter strike force. Believe it.
3. We only need a few B-52s as jammers.
I was in a prowler squadron back in the day...the B-52 is way to large a platform to perform this task ( the EA-6B is a modified 4 seater A-6 )to me the F/A-18 is too small a platform for this task...gotta be a mid size aircraft out there somewhere to perform this task..
When pressed, the (published) maximum speed of the B-52H is 639 miles per hour at 20,700 feet, or a Mach number of 0.91, and that’s probably pretty clean without a lot of external stores or ‘pods’; and cruising speed is ~525 miles per hour.
The EA-6B on the other hand has a cruising speed of 480 MPH and a dash speed of 658 kts (very high subsonic).
So ... realistically, the BUFF is able to keep up with a strike package better, and for a longer period of time than a Prowler. (now retired/ing).
The F-18G Growler has a published cruise speed of 575 MPH, and an unfueled range of just over 1100 stature miles. The F-18 CAN dash to a reported 1.7 Mach, but that would be for short duration of course.
Global Hawk (make believe it’s been modified to with an EW package) cruise speed is a little over 400 mph, but it can fly above threats and loiter for hours and hours (24 hours, with a range in excess of 3000 miles) in the AOO. UCAVS/RPVs are the future of high-threat low ACM missions.
The BUFF can generate a LOT more electric power which translates into a LOT more EMF, and thus a wider coverage area.
But, with UCAVS/RPVs you have more mission flexibility, lower crew risks, and higher sortie rates.
oops.
All speeds are “published” speeds, and stature miles should be statute miles.
we regret the errors ;-)
If it’s defense related Obama is against it.
Yup.
In Flight of the Old Dog, the first book in the series, the aircraft is designated the B-52I Megafortress. B-52M Megafortress Plus is later introduced in Day of the Cheetah and the EB-52 designation is first used in Sky Masters. In reality, the EB-52H (or B-52J) was a planned upgrade to the USAF’s current fleet of Stratofortresses, allowing them to act as “stand-off jammers”, with jamming pods replacing the B-52’s wing-mounted external fuel tanks.
One final version, the AL-52 Dragon, was introduced in Wings of Fire. The Dragon is an airborne laser platform; the actual laser is a chemical system (a COIL, or chlorine-oxygen-iodine laser). One prototype, however, is refitted with a plasma-pumped solid-state laser (the technology is based on the plasma-yield warheads mentioned above). Both Dragon variants are devastating against aerial targets; however, the plasma-pumped laser's sheer power makes it effective against surface targets as well. Later on in the series, the plasma-pumped solid state laser replaces the COIL laser on all standard AL-52’s.
If you have not read Flight of the Old Dog i highly recommend it. I would also recommend Fatal Terrain.
BUFF flies on and on
An EB-52 would use a different approach to jamming than the EF-111 or EA-6B. It wouldn’t need to go in with a strike package. Speed and size are irrelevant.
From a different article:
Less than two years later, the USAF has again changed direction, and is now willing to accept more risk in the stand-off jamming mission, Fisher says. At the same time, the service will contribute more resources to support the stand-off jamming mission. “Just because you don’t have one piece doesn’t mean the whole mission falls apart,” Fisher says.
Another effort to mitigate the loss of the EB-52 is to upgrade the Lockheed Martin EC-130ECH Compass Call fleet, which has traditionally focused on communications warfare. The 14-aircraft fleet is being upgraded starting this year with a radar jamming system, although its capabilities and frequency range are undisclosed.
“Accept more risk” follows “No $$ from Obama”.
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