https://newsela.com/articles/antelopevalley-bomber/id/7441/
The United States of America wants to produce a top-secret warplane. The secret bomber has the possibility of costing the U.S. billions of dollars. Two teams will be working on the airplane and the competing team that wins this spring will be chosen to work on the bomber. Experts everywhere cannot agree over whether or not this is a good investment or a bad one.
Thomas Christie had said “It’s a disaster waiting to happen.” Christie was an expert at the government’s Department of Defense. Last month Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel had said that the “Long-Range Strike Bomber is absolutely essential.” Chuck Hagel was the head of the Defense Department who was just replaced by Ashton Carter this past week.
Air Force officials have said they need the new plane. The secret bomber would not show up on enemy radar, can carry nuclear weapons, and be able to fly by remote control like a drone. Other details about the bomber are guarded and classified. The bomber also means more jobs for people. Workers in Palmdale, California have built many of the country’s airplanes. The town has lost many jobs in the last few years due to companies stopping production of as many airplanes. If Northrop wins the competition over Boeing, then it will bring about 1,500 jobs to the area. It will be almost less than half of the jobs that Northrop would create if Boeing-Lockheed wins.
The U.S. military has promised to not spend over $550 million per bomber. The Air Force plans to purchase 100 of the new planes as soon as late spring. Northrop, Boeing, and Lockheed have all built air planes for the government. Sadly, all of the airplanes ended up costing more than expected. Todd Harrison had estimated that the bomber program will actually cost $90 billion, which comes out to be $900 million per plane.
I think this is a good thing, it creates jobs for other people since jobs are hard to find at this point of time. This could be a possible tool in the ongoing war on terrorism.
Doug • Feb 27, 2015 at 9:27 am
I personally feel that the United States Department of Defense is wasting money. first of all the US is part of many treaties do to involvement in conflicts which prohibit the use of nuclear bombs. Second of its called the United States Department of Defense not attack; I don’t see them bombing ISIS as they are across the globe and bombing them would not only destroy a high percentage of ISIS members but of hostages, and civilians. last of all, the spending they are doing building these bombers and creating so called jobs could create better jobs by making a solar power grid that could supply LA and other places throughout the US. I feel like this is another cold war except against ISIS members which should be handles by the UN and not the US alone.