MILITARY > What you are allowed to know about the bomber

What We Are Allowed to Know About the Bomber Posted by Amy Butler at 6/30/2011 7:33 AM CDT photo courtesy of www.dodbuzz.com

It is not unusual to stumble across a secret or two during the Paris Air Show. 

In fact, amid the 16-hour days of slogging through rain from the train station, sweating it out on the 15th march down the chalet line (in the second day) or lugging a laptop and various power packs and cords through Paris paranoid you’ll lose one – stumbling on a secret can make it all the more invigorating and fun. And, this comes from someone that loves a good air show!

But, this year, I stumbled across an interesting secret. It’s a secret I’m allowed to know. I’m just maybe not supposed to know that I’m allowed to know it.

I noticed a pattern when I was talking to industry executives about the still forthcoming (yes, we’ve been saying forthcoming for many a Paris Air Show now) next-generation bomber program. Imagine my surprise when executives of the competing companies sounded, well, the same.

So … I started asking why. And, a while later, I got my answer. A program source let me in on the secret. Apparently those executives were told to sound the same. The U.S. Air Force, in leadership, drew up talking points for these executives on the program entitled “Unclassified Facts on the Air Force Penetrating Bomber.”

That way, everyone was literally on the same page.

This isn’t that uncommon. Often, customers have talking points for their contractors. But, this is a case of a would-be customer and would-be contractors being told what they would be able to say about what may be a would-be program. (We won’t really know if it would-be because when it will-be, it will be a SAP program). And, typically, the Air Force isn’t too happy when its talking points get out there … it makes things seem, well, canned.

At any rate, I figured I’d share what little I know of what the executives are told that they can say. (Just be sure and keep the secret that you are allowed to know what you know.)

Below is a copy of the talking points: 

PURPOSE:

Provide industry executives the unclassified facts on the new penetrating bomber program. 

FACTS:

- Based on Secretary of Defense direction, the Air Force (AF) is developing a new penetrating bomber.

- The new penetrating bomber will be a component of the joint portfolio of conventional deep-strike capabilities.

- The new penetrating bomber will be highly survivable, nuclear capable, and designed to accommodate manned or unmanned operations

- The new penetrating bomber will be able to employ a broad mix of stand-off and direct-attack munitions.

- The total annual budget by appropriation (i.e., RDT&E, Production) is unclassified.

- The Air Force plans to deliver the initial capability in the mid-2020s.

- The new program will leverage mature technologies and constrain requirements based on affordability

- The new program will focus on affordability: unit cost target set to inform design/requirement trades and ensure sufficient inventory.

- The Air Force is projecting to build a fleet of 80-100 aircraft.

- The new program will employ enhanced security measures and be protected by a Special Access Program.

- All other details are classified to protect operational advantages and the nation's investment in critical technologies and capabilities.

- For further information, contact the Procuring Contracting Officer (PCO) or the Program Security Officer (PSO)