The B-2 was designed to be stealthy against long-range early warning radars, while the F-117 and F-22 were designed to survive against shorter range search radars and missiles, Boeing Advanced Systems President George Muellner explained Thursday at AFA’s symposium in Orlando. In the new long range strike system, the technology push would be “to do both” and optimize the platform to be stealthy in all regimes. Such a feat is “doable,” he said.
The Air Force is launching an effort to develop a new stand-off missile with a range of 1,000 nautical miles, or 1,150 miles, that would eventually be used for both air-to-air and air-to-surface missions.