Het nut van een strategische bommenwerper in de 21ste eeuw?

[Ace1]

[Ace1]

[Ace1]

Resurrected B-52H returns to flight after seven years in storage

A US Air Force Boeing B-52H is back in flight after spending eight years parked in storage in the Arizona desert.

The regenerated Stratofortress, nicknamed Ghostrider, completed first flight on 30 August at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, rising into the sky without a painted livery.



The base's Air Logistics Center was tasked with restoring the airworthiness of the un-retired B-52H, reversing a normally one-way trip for aging military aircraft to the "boneyard" at Davis-Monthan AFB near Tucson, Arizona.

The air force will use Ghostrider to replace another B-52H severely damaged by fire in 2014, restoring the strategic bomber fleet to approved levels. The air force maintains of fleet of 58 B-52s in the active duty force and 18 more in reserve units.

Ghostrider, tail number 61-007, arrived at Tinker last fall before entering the bomber's firsts programmed depot maintenance cycle in 12 years.

The Air Logistics Center plans to complete several more flights of the B-52H at Tinker before handing the bomber over to an operational squadron at Minot AFB, North Dakota.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/resurrected-b-52h-returns-to-flight-after-seven-year-428990/

[Ace1]

Boeing B-52 evolves again with guided weapons launcher

On 16 January 1991, seven Boeing B-52Gs fully loaded with AGM-86C conventional air-launched cruise missiles took flight from Barksdale AFB in Louisiana on a top-secret mission to destroy targets inside Iraq.

Those 35h missions were the first combat sorties of Operation Desert Storm. Lesser known is that the mission, dubbed Secret Squirrel, also marked the combat debut of the AGM-86C, with 35 weapons fired and 85-95% of targets successfully destroyed, according to the US air force.

A derivative of the nuclear-tipped AGM-86B, the B-52G would not have been deployed if only armed with nuclear cruise missiles and unguided bombs. Now, 25 years on, Boeing has delivered six modified rotary launchers that will again revolutionise how the veteran B-52 strategic bomber is used in combat.


Boeing B-52G launches in support of Operation Desert Storm

15 JANUARY, 2016 BY: JAMES DREW WASHINGTON DC
On 16 January 1991, seven Boeing B-52Gs fully loaded with AGM-86C conventional air-launched cruise missiles took flight from Barksdale AFB in Louisiana on a top-secret mission to destroy targets inside Iraq.

Those 35h missions were the first combat sorties of Operation Desert Storm. Lesser known is that the mission, dubbed Secret Squirrel, also marked the combat debut of the AGM-86C, with 35 weapons fired and 85-95% of targets successfully destroyed, according to the US air force.

A derivative of the nuclear-tipped AGM-86B, the B-52G would not have been deployed if only armed with nuclear cruise missiles and unguided bombs. Now, 25 years on, Boeing has delivered six modified rotary launchers that will again revolutionise how the veteran B-52 strategic bomber is used in combat.

Asset Image
Boeing B-52G launches in support of Operation Desert Storm
US Air Force
Until now, the slightly newer 1960s H-model aircraft has been unable to drop conventional, precision-guided weapons from its belly. The new digital rotary launcher changes that, by allowing each B-52 to carry eight Boeing-made joint direct attack munitions internally, and eventual extended-range joint air-to-surface standoff missiles (JASSM-ERs) built by Lockheed Martin and Raytheon miniature air-launched decoys.

This means that the B-52 can now carry smart weapons on its wings, and internally – either increasing its destructive power or reducing fuel consumption on long flights by housing weapons internally to reduce drag.

That potent combination of MALD and JASSM-ERs makes the non-stealthy "Stratofortress" a flexible, fist-day-of-war combat aircraft that can destroy targets from hundreds of kilometres away and provide decoy support for flocks of front-line fighter jets. Those six launchers can be swapped between the B-52 fleet.

The upgrade comes as the air force tried to keep its remaining 76 H-model B-52s combat-relevant through 2040 as the classified Northrop Grumman long-range strike bomber (LRS-B) enters service


Upgraded Boeing B-52 rotary launcher

15 JANUARY, 2016 BY: JAMES DREW WASHINGTON DC
On 16 January 1991, seven Boeing B-52Gs fully loaded with AGM-86C conventional air-launched cruise missiles took flight from Barksdale AFB in Louisiana on a top-secret mission to destroy targets inside Iraq.

Those 35h missions were the first combat sorties of Operation Desert Storm. Lesser known is that the mission, dubbed Secret Squirrel, also marked the combat debut of the AGM-86C, with 35 weapons fired and 85-95% of targets successfully destroyed, according to the US air force.

A derivative of the nuclear-tipped AGM-86B, the B-52G would not have been deployed if only armed with nuclear cruise missiles and unguided bombs. Now, 25 years on, Boeing has delivered six modified rotary launchers that will again revolutionise how the veteran B-52 strategic bomber is used in combat.

Asset Image
Boeing B-52G launches in support of Operation Desert Storm
US Air Force
Until now, the slightly newer 1960s H-model aircraft has been unable to drop conventional, precision-guided weapons from its belly. The new digital rotary launcher changes that, by allowing each B-52 to carry eight Boeing-made joint direct attack munitions internally, and eventual extended-range joint air-to-surface standoff missiles (JASSM-ERs) built by Lockheed Martin and Raytheon miniature air-launched decoys.

This means that the B-52 can now carry smart weapons on its wings, and internally – either increasing its destructive power or reducing fuel consumption on long flights by housing weapons internally to reduce drag.

That potent combination of MALD and JASSM-ERs makes the non-stealthy "Stratofortress" a flexible, fist-day-of-war combat aircraft that can destroy targets from hundreds of kilometres away and provide decoy support for flocks of front-line fighter jets. Those six launchers can be swapped between the B-52 fleet.

The upgrade comes as the air force tried to keep its remaining 76 H-model B-52s combat-relevant through 2040 as the classified Northrop Grumman long-range strike bomber (LRS-B) enters service

Asset Image
Upgraded Boeing B-52 rotary launcher
US Air Force
The Stratofortress has long been considered a flying bomb truck, capable of hauling 31.5t (70,000lbs) of ordnance, but its guided weapons capabilities have often lagged more modern airframes.

Last week, the aircraft was sent on a deterrence mission to South Korea as a warning to its northern neighbour, after Pyongyang detonated a nuclear bomb. Going forward, the B-52 will probably feature in more conventional confrontations.


B-52H escorted by US and ROKAF fighter jets

"The upgrades to the B-52 bomber's internal weapons bay have made it possible to have zero gap on the bomber's long-range bombing capabilities as we transfer from conventional air-launched cruise missiles to JASSM-ER," says air force B-52 programme director Col Tim Dickinson.

"With this added capability, the B-52 bomber will remain relevant for decades to come," adds Boeing B-52 internal weapons bay upgrade manager Jeff Lupton.

Carrying more MALD decoys creates a whole new role for the B-52, because those weapons are designed to replicate the flight path and radar signature of American combat jets to distract air defence systems. The newer version, designated MALD-J, can switch to jamming mode to suppress those same air defences, using a closely-guarded electronic warfare payload.


Raytheon MALD on its first powered flight in 2007


Lockheed JASSM-ER drops from a supersonic Boeing B-1B

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/boeing-b-52-evolves-again-with-guided-weapons-launch-420874/

[Ace1]

PARIS: MBDA unveils modular missile concept

16 JUNE, 2015 BY: BETH STEVENSON PARIS
In an effort to provide the correct balance of air power projection for military operators in future conflict, MBDA is envisioning a modular approach to weapon use.

Introducing its CVW102 Flexis concept at the show, the company is leveraging research and development projects that it is currently working on to provide a future solution for offensive operations, which will allow the operator to configure missiles according to the mission requirement up to the point of use.

This includes a central command unit, a common missile power and communications bus with "universal contactless interfaces" and a common composite chassis that allows for the installation of mission-specific elements, including common standardised diameters. Weapons can then be assembled as required and tailored to particular missions.

The key issues that Flexis is targeting are: the need to have quantities of weapons in the locations they are needed for prolonged operations; maintaining a technological edge; and the uncertainty of future operations and whether they will be symmetrical or asymmetrical in nature.

Edward Dodwell, head of MBDA's Concept Visions 2015 team, used the example of the carrier strike mission to illustrate the benefits of this concept, claiming that these operations are typically prolonged, but simultaneously quick reaction is required and the capability has to be readily available.

Flexis, he adds, is a more low cost approach, because only one baseline configuration cost is required, with lower cost variable packages for the missile added on top.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/paris-mbda-unveils-modular-missile-concept-413617/

[Ace1]

A NEW WAY TO DELIVER AND SUSTAIN CAPABILITY

FLEXIS is MBDA's 2015 Concept Vision proposing a fully modular missile system to revolutionise capability, sustainment and technology enhancement.

FLEXIS harnesses years of MBDA research and development in a system that redefines adaptability and evolution.

Through technologies such as contactless interfaces and common bus architectures, missile roles can quickly be modified to adapt to emerging scenarios. Standardised physical and functional architectures enable rapid upgrade of sub-system modules to maintain the technological edge.

Inter-missile communication and intelligent cooperation provides a system that maximises weapon efficiency and success in complex environments. An enhanced health management system ensures that all sub-system modules are maintained and available whenever they are needed.

http://www.mbda-systems.com/innovation/concept-visions/flexis-2015/

[Ace1]

Paris Air Show 2015: MBDA unveils FlexiS fully modular missile concept

Air-Launched Weapons


MBDA's new FlexiS concept envisions users being able to select weapon effects from modular missile components that could be mated on board ship as required by each mission.

Key Points
New concept envisioned as families of missiles in three calibres
Emerging technologies including inter-missile communication and collaboration
MBDA unveiled the CVW102 FlexiS fully modular air-launched missile concept as its 2015 Concept Visions innovation at the 2015 Paris Air Show

Concept Visions is an annual MBDA group-level initiative - now in its sixth year - to define a weapon system to address evolving and perceived challenges over the next 20 years. The initiative is designed to exploit research, development and innovation enterprises, and identify and leverage emerging and prototype technologies, across the company and its supply chain to evolve the concept weapon.

Underpinning the evolution of the FlexiS concept are three key drivers: maintaining technological edge, having the appropriate quantity of equipment and equipment types to address the operational target set, and being able to manage the uncertainty of the conflict type that might develop. The scenario the company uses to typify these challenges is 'Carrier Strike' - which, through sustained deployment, faces inherent challenges of replenishment and storage of equipment stocks to address different emerging conflict scenarios.

The CVW 102 FlexiS concept is envisaged as a missile family with a common central airframe, incorporating a modular architecture enabling different subsystems to be swapped in theatre to tailor the missile to meet a specific mission requirement. FlexiS is "a flexible system that allows the customer to assemble the weapon system as they need from a set of configurations that MBDA has qualified," Ed Dodwell, head of Concept Visions at MBDA told IHS Jane's .

Dodwell said that in line with MBDA's existing missile portfolio, his team defined three calibre types within FlexiS, each of which encompasses different sets of capabilities: a 180 mm calibre in two lengths - 1.8 m and 3 m; a 350 mm calibre - 3.5 m in length; and a 450 mm calibre - 5.5 m long. However, he noted "as the family that delivered the most breadth and capability for Concept Visions, this year we focused only on the development of the 180 mm calibre as the exemplifying family for FlexiS."

The 180 mm calibre family has been exemplified by five configurations, in air-to-air and air-to-ground roles, with the 1.8 m variant mostly earmarked for air-to-ground and the 3m variant air-to-air - although Dodwell noted that within the flexible architecture concept there remains the opportunity to mix and match between both.

The configurations include: a mid-range strike and an anti-tank missile, both 1.8 m long; a very short-range air-to-air (AAM) missile, also 1.8 m, designed to address less complex air threats such as mid-altitude UAVs, without the need to deploy higher cost AAMs; a 3 m long-range air-to-air missile - using the air-turbo-rocket propulsion technology that was looked at in Concept Visions 2013 for the CVS 302 Hoplite weapon - to provide "reasonable range" and a Mach 2+ capability in the air-to-air environment; and finally a short-range re-roleable AAM with a blast fragmentation warhead and full-length rocket motor.


FlexiS missiles could be built to conduct a variety of air-to-air and air-to-surface missions at different ranges as dictated by the threat and required aircraft loadouts. Unused missiles could be disassembled and reused in other configurations for future missions. (MBDA)

Dodwell noted that MBDA's propulsion systems subsidiary, Roxel, supported the FlexiS concept with the idea of a modular rocket motor: "You have the same rocket motor for the 1.8 m and 3 m, but for the 3 m you install two more rocket modules at the rear - the idea being that you could quite quickly re-role the very short-range anti-air to be the short range anti-air - by just adding two rocket motor modules and changing the seeker."

Dodwell said that across the missiles within the 180 mm missile family "we have a single launch aerodynamic profile to minimise integration costs. This means that all of the missiles, regardless of their actual capability, are common from the perspective of the platform, and from the perspective of integration. So that vastly reduces the cost delta of each subsequent integration after the first weapon integration. So you are getting a greater breadth of capability installed on your platforms at a much lower cost."

The FlexiS architecture incorporates, and is enabled, through a number of different innovative technologies including: contactless universal interfaces and a common power and communications bus; an advanced composite chassis with wire-in composite processing to allow that contactless interface and common bus to be embedded in the airframe; an intelligent missile self-configuration capability through the weapon configuration and control units which manage the configuration of the assembled modules; and sub-system level health and usage monitoring.

"The concept also allowed us to look at and highlight a number of emerging technologies that will provide capability enhancements: inter-missile communication and collaboration: reactive material warheads; array antenna seekers and variable-speed rocket motors," said Dodwell, adding that concepts for modularised propulsion enable tuneable range and speed. "One of the core benefits of this fully modular architecture is the fact that it allows those emerging technologies, at the point that they become mature, to be incorporated into the architecture as long as they comply with its interfaces and standards.

"So you can now rapidly evolve equipment at sub-system level and introduce it into service via the architecture so it can be qualified with one of the configurations, rather than having to wait for the development of an entire new missile system to get new technologies into service."

"Looking into a bit more detail on some of those enabling technologies," said Dodwell, "the definition of a common power and communications bus with contactless universal interfaces has allowed us to standardise our subsystem modules and the way those modules interface onto the bus. So this really eases assembly of the all up missiles.

"Most of our missiles today are based on what is called a 'star architecture' - each subsystem either has discrete interfaces between subsystems or discrete point-to-point communications back to the weapon computer. For FlexiS, we propose changing that to a bus, the advantage of which is that it allows the module to be installed, then the weapon computer detects and picks up that module, so you can have all those subsystems operating on the bus, giving you a much more open and flexible architecture.

"The bus and the contactless interfaces are then embedded into a common airframe, using wire-in composite processes - the common airframe is made out of novel composite materials - this is a material that is currently being looked at and tested inside MBDA.

"The composite processing and manufacture that we are currently looking at allows a chassis to be assembled that is lighter and takes up less volume than a conventional metal chassis; that can be developed to meet the very strenuous mechanical requirements of both operating in an air-to-air and air-to-ground role - so we have this common chassis that is common to all the different configurations within the FlexiS family.

"The chassis will also include the latest innovations in composite monitoring to guarantee that it is robust and assured throughout its operating life.

"The ability to embed the comms and power bus into the chassis also allows for a significant reduction in the mass and volume of the core missile architecture. So, rather than having to have what we have today - a number of different cabled harnesses inside the airframe - that is all now embedded into the structural airframe itself. We've really freed up a lot of volume inside the airframe, and that allows that simple interface between the modules and the missile so that we can achieve that simple assembly in theatre."

The other key innovation that achieves this level of adaptability is the weapons' configuration and control unit. This unit detects each of the modules that are installed into the airframe and identifies each of the components that are being installed and ensures that the module is an approved subsystem. It also checks that the overall sets of modules installed are of a configuration that has been approved and tested, and that the performance is known of, so that it is effectively a qualified all up missile.

It then loads the correct mission parameters for that configuration of weapon and also loads the module operating software defined for that configuration to optimise the operation of each individual module as they are delivered at the all up missile level and to deliver the overall missile performance.

The modular architecture also enables the introduction of a module that enables direct missile-to-missile collaboration, affording a high degree of flexibility, with the missiles autonomously acting and communicating between themselves, but within a mission planned set of constraints. The idea of this direct interaction between missiles brings the ability to intelligently carry out actions and manoeuvres between a salvo of missiles, or to employ particular tactics that allow it to overcome challenging future missiles. For example, when engaging a highly manoeuvrable air target, one missile could form the chase missile and the other could work an intercept. The communication between those two missiles allows them to determine the point of intercept of that air target and maximise the probability of kill. Also the collaboration between missiles could reduce the number of missiles needed to achieve a successful suppression of enemy air defences, which is currently a high attrition scenario.

Finally, the integration of health and usage monitoring at the module level promises a step change in missile life management. One of the challenges today is the number of flight hours that an individual missile can undertake before it has to be refurbished, and also knowing how much 'real life' that missile actually has left.

The addition of HUMS achieves that in terms of monitoring the real environment the missile has seen - but today it is done at canister-level. "The real innovation for us is pushing that down to a module level, because that maximizes the life of the overall missile, since today, when any subsystem in the missile is lifed [out] the whole missile gets sent back for refurbishment. With a modular HUMS system we know the life of each individual module - you can now simply replace the lifed module, and the missile remains available in theatre - and for us that's a real game changer."

He concluded that "In terms of a specific Carrier Strike role, to make this concept as responsible and reactive as possible, our proposal is to have a fully automated assembly on board the carrier - so it's another reason why we have focused on the carrier, because of the fact that already within the carrier there is a move towards automation of the handling of munitions on board. What we are envisaging for 2035 is an extension on this where you have your common chassis and your modules held in the weapons magazine and those units can autonomously be brought out of the magazine and taken to the weapon assembly area where there is an automated weapon assembly system that has been delivered by MBDA that assembles and checks that the missile is good to go."

http://www.janes.com/article/52218/paris-air-show-2015-mbda-unveils-flexis-fully-modular-missile-concept

[Ace1]

Vintage Boeing B-52 gets new long-range Lockheed cruise missile

The Boeing B-52H is the vintage bomber that just won't quit, and now the Cold War-era "Stratofortress" is being outfitted with one of America's newest and longest-range conventional cruise missiles.

Lockheed Martin has been put on contract to arm the 54-year-old aircraft – which has outlived many of those who predicted its retirement – with the extended-range Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Weapon (JASSM) under a $9.1 million contract announced earlier this month.

In a statement to Flightglobal, LM director of long-range strike systems Jason Denney confirms that the B-52 will be updated to carry the turbofan engine-powered cruise missile internally on a new digitised rotary launcher and externally on its pylons.

The bomber has long carried conventional cruise missiles, namely the non-nuclear derivative of the AGM-86 "ALCM" that has an unclassified range of 600nm and is being retired as supplies run low.


Boeing B-52s can carry up to 20 nuclear-armed Air-Launched Cruise Missiles (ALCMs) and by 2018 will probably be carrying a similar number of smarter, non-nuclear Lockheed Martin JASSM-ERs.

Already equipped to carry the shorter-range baseline JASSM missile on its pylons, adding the extended range variant more than doubles the bomber's JASSM strike distance to 500nm (926km). That allows lumbering, non-stealthy B-52H to punch out targets while keeping clear of hazardous air defence systems well into the future.

According to Lockheed, the B-52 has only ever captive-carried the JASSM-ER during operational testing, and the bomber now joins the Lockheed F-16 and soon the Boeing F-15E on the integration to-do list. The weapon is already deployed on the Boeing/Rockwell B-1B. B-52 integration will wrap up in 2018, as will the project to arm the F-16.

"F-15E integration will be next in line," says Denney. "The expansion of the JASSM-ER employment aircraft set will significantly enhance the US warfighter's first-day, first-strike capabilities."


The baseline JASSM missile has been in serial production for over a decade but production recently switched to the new double-range JASSM-ER (500nm unclassified).

The beefing up of Stratofortress weaponry for conventional warfighting comes as the air force removes nuclear weapons from dozens of B-52s previously assigned to the strategic deterrence mission to achieve compliance with new strategic arms limitations agreed with Russia.

The air force currently plans to retire the supersonic B-1B and the B-52H in the 2040s as their Long-Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B) replacement steps in.

JASSM-ER takes advantage of several concurrent digital upgrades that will allow every B-52 to carry smart weapons internally for the first time and on its pylons. The Boeing-led Combat Network Communications Technology improvement will further allow B-52s to update their missions plans via satellite and retarget weapons in flight – as most other combat aircraft have been doing for decades.


The B-52's rotary launcher, seen here carrying up to eight ALCM cruise missiles, is being upgraded to carry fully digital smart weapons and decoys.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/vintage-boeing-b-52-gets-new-long-range-lockheed-cru-419398/

[Elzenga]

Dit bedoel ik met een gemodificeerde A330 MRTT.

...

Het lijkt mij een optie om te onderzoeken. Maar er zal ook moeten worden gekeken of er behoefte aan is...en of dit gemeenschappelijk wordt ingevuld dan. Misschien als Europa militair wat meer op eigen benen gaat staan dat zoiets interessant wordt..

[Ace1]

Dit bedoel ik met een gemodificeerde A330 MRTT.

[Ace1]

Zag trouwens wel op Discovery een bom de naam ben ik even kwijt die de Amerikanen hebben getest in Irak Golfoorlog II ...die wordt afgeworpen boven een Iraaks Tank eskadron en alle tanks tegelijkertijd uitschakelde...een soort clusterbom die afzonderlijke bommen naar de doelen laat gaan over een enorm oppervlak.

Een B-52 kon bewapend met die bommen 1200 voertuigen in een keer uitschakelen.

Je moet dus wel baas in het luchtruim zijn boven je tank/pantserinf bataljons wil je met succes kunnen oprukken in de toekomst maar goed dat wisten we al, maar die bom is wel indrukwekkend

Whup That (armored) Ass.

2 CBU-97 sensor fused cluster weapons schakelde 1/3 van een Iraakse tank colonne uit.  Niet alles, dat is onmogelijk.
Maar het is wel een heel doeltreffend wapen, een clusterbom met 10 stuks submunities.  Die elk weer 4 geleide 'hockey pucks' uitscheiden en zo pantservoertuigen 'uit hun dak laten gaan'.  Een F-16 neemt 4 CBU-97's mee en een A-10C 'Warthog' neemt er zelfs 10 mee.

zie: http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/1081m-for-13280-cans-of-whupass-01782/

Een B-52 Stratofortress kan 16 CBU-97´s vervoeren, ik ga ervanuit dat een gemodificeerde A330 MRTT meer kan vervoeren doordat deze een langere en bredere romp heeft?

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Wat is de oppervalkte van een vleugel van een  Avro Vulcan in vierkante meters?

Vleugeloppervlak 368,3 m²  (bron: Wikipedia)

[Ace1]

Integreren van verschillende onderdelen in een complex eind product is absoluut geen 'copy and paste'.
Maar is juist een moeilijk proces.

Ik ga er ook vanuit dat men bij een ontwerp en de bouw van een  stealth delta wingbommenwerper  en testen minimaal 10 jaar maximaal 15 jaar bezig is.

De F-16X heeft een vleugel oppervlakte van circa 60 vierkant meter tegenover 27,87 vierkante meter van de F-16AM/BM.
De spanwijdte van de F-16X bedraagt ongeveer 10,44 meter, exclusief launchers en raketten aan de vleugeluiteinden.
De F-16AM/BM vleugel moet het doen met een breedte van 9,45 meter, idem dito.

Wat is de oppervalkte van een vleugel van een  Avro Vulcan in vierkante meters?

[Poleme]

Het lijkt mij niet zo moeilijk om een stealth delta wingbommenwerper te ontwerpen je neemt een toestel qa grote als de Avro Vulcan je neemt het ontwerp van de vleugels van de F16 X over maar dan de maat van de  Avro Vulcan. Je neemt 2 eurojet EJ220  motoren en de captor radar en je bent klaar.

  Doet mij denken aan een opmerking hier op DF in het F-16 vervanging topic: "Stealth is gratis".

De F-16X heeft een vleugel oppervlakte van circa 60 vierkant meter tegenover 27,87 vierkante meter van de F-16AM/BM.
De spanwijdte van de F-16X bedraagt ongeveer 10,44 meter, exclusief launchers en raketten aan de vleugeluiteinden.
De F-16AM/BM vleugel moet het doen met een breedte van 9,45 meter, idem dito.
In de luchtvaart kennen we het begrip "aspect ratio" of slankheid van een vleugel.
Aspect Ratio is in de luchtvaart de verhouding tussen de spanwijdte en de koorde (afstand v. voor-, naar achterkant vleugel) van een vleugel. Het is de Engelse term die vaak gebruikt wordt. In het Nederlands geeft men de voorkeur aan "Slankheid : λ" hoewel ook de leterlijke vertaling vaak gebruikt wordt: "vormverhouding". Dit zegt namelijk alles. Het is een verhouding en wel van de vleugelvorm.
Het belang van de slankheid komt tot uiting in de fijnheid van de vleugel. Fijnheid die de zweefcapaciteiten, of beter het rendement van de vleugel kenmerkt.
Hoe groter de slankheid hoe groter de fijnheid en hoe fijner de vleugel. Hoe fijner de vleugel hoe groter het glijgetal.
Om de kwaliteit van een vleugel te kunnen vergelijken berekent men de aspect ratio. Het toestel met de grootste aspect ratio zou in theorie het beste kunnen zijn. Uiteraard spelen nog meer eigenschappen mee, maar het geeft een uitgangspunt van vergelijking.

Integreren van verschillende onderdelen in een complex eind product is absoluut geen 'copy and paste'.
Maar is juist een moeilijk proces.

[Ace1]

Een Avro Vulcan 2.0 met enkel stealth eigenschappen frontaal en aan de onderzijde. De geleide wapens doen toch het werk. De Russen hebben dat met de Sukhoi T-50 goed begrepen; dat is geen vliegtuig om stealth door luchtdefensies te breken.

Het lijkt mij niet zo moeilijk om een stealth delta wingbommenwerper te ontwerpen je neemt een toestel qa grote als de Avro Vulcan je neemt het ontwerp van de vleugels van de F16 X over maar dan naar de maat van de  Avro Vulcan. Je neemt 2 eurojet EJ220  motoren en de captor radar en je bent klaar.