Northrop Grumman(US:NOC) Huan Qiu Shi Bao·2025-09-30 04:41Core Concept - The U.S. Air Force is secretly exploring the feasibility of deploying a large flying-wing stealth aircraft equipped with dozens of air-to-air missiles, potentially based on Northrop Grumman's B-21 bomber, although the concept is still in its early stages [1][3] Group 1: Aircraft Development - The concept involves manned stealth fighters like the F-22, F-35, and F-47, as well as potential unmanned collaborative combat aircraft, which will detect and designate aerial targets for the large stealth aircraft to strike [3] - The stealth aircraft is part of the Air Force's plans to address high-intensity conflicts in the Indo-Pacific region, serving as a complement or even a replacement for new collaborative combat drones [3] Group 2: Weaponry and Capabilities - The stealth fighters will be responsible for target detection, while the large aircraft will launch long-range missile attacks from outside the threat zone, a concept that has been discussed by the U.S. military for years [3] - The B-21-sized aircraft is expected to carry a significant number of AIM-260 missiles, which have a much greater range than the existing AIM-120 missiles, and will also have the capability to carry oversized air-to-air weapons [3] Group 3: Industry Challenges - There are internal objections regarding the large weapons library aircraft, with concerns about the limited supply of bombers and the need to target "high-value" objectives [4] - The defense industry currently lacks the capacity to mass-produce air-to-air weapons to rebuild stockpiles, especially given the high costs associated with AIM-120 and AIM-260 missiles [4]