RQ-180 operational, details revealed

What's fascinating is that the RQ-180 was found to be a viable operational platform, cutting back the need for an all inclusive bomber like MightMight the Great has suggested.

Toss some F-35 tech onto the B-21 plus a couple other goodies, and boom, you just saved a good amount of money on your next bomber, and you minimize the complexity.

You also pave the way for a variation of the "loyal wingman" concept.

Northrop hit the jackpot and if the B-21 program doesn't hit too many set backs, it'll be a major win for the USAF.

www.youtube.com...
Remenber this video, everybody was saying this is the B-21 concept but may be it could be a RQ-180 concept Under the wrap and there is just one pilot strange for a bomber

Id be thinking more C5ISR than C4ISR these days..All depends on if its present or future viable.Does the video line up with what was seen at Edwards?

a reply to: darksidius

You do realize, I trust, that this was simply a television commercial for Northrop Grumman. The shape under the tarp was not intended to be any specific aircraft. It was simply a generic shape representing future military aviation.

a reply to: Shadowhawk

Yes but it show the way of potential shape of futur Northrop production. More look " what we can do"

originally posted by: Barnalby
a reply to: Barnalby

Also, here's another thought: Does the relatively rapid procurement, the sheer volume of airframes built, and the fact that they're basing it somewhere as "ho-hum" as Beale indicate that rather than being some $2 billion a pop QUARTZ successor, the RQ-180 is likely far closer to the RQ-170 in terms of its design philosophy, capabilities, and per-unit cost?

The flying wing informally called "RQ-180" is designed for the same role as the canceled Quartz UAV, which is to gather intelligence within heavily defended airspace. The RQ-180's design layout draws heavily upon the all-wing, B-2 inspired configuration investigated among Northrop Grumman's design studies as part of the SensorCraft program judging from anonymous industry sources cited by the October 2019 AW&ST article shedding new light on development, flight testing, and initial deployment of the "RQ-180". The RQ-170 is only designed for providing battlefield surveillance to forward-deployed combat forces, even though it has an all-wing layout like that of the "RQ-180".