LRS-B supersonic?

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Member for

12 years 9 months

Posts: 5,905

It is high subsonic, NG made a book where they discuss it.

http://www.northropgrumman.com/Capabilities/B2SpiritBomber/SpiritOfInnovationBook/Pages/default.aspx

It is supposed to go near supersonic at sealevel but never above mach 1.

I had to read once again the doc and confirm that we still can't rule out this hypothesis.

But it does not mean that it is true.

High subsonic is general in the 0.9 range. Geometry and law of physics can't aniliate any doubts.

Member for

20 years 3 months

Posts: 12,109

Unless there was considerable black research post cancellation, the US effectively dropped the supersonic flying wing concept when the switchblade was cancelled. Of course that does not completely rule out the fact that the LRS-B cannot be both a flying wing and supersonic but it in my opinion is rather unlikely (both it being a supersonic-flying-wing and being supersonic).

Member for

15 years 10 months

Posts: 6,983

just steepen wing sweep or increase power and it will go supersonic,
the bomber is going to have to fly unescorted in hostile airspace,
there is too compelling reasons to increase speed not to do it,
even more so now that most new fighters are supercruise capable