U.S stealth bomber set to undergo 'expensive' upgrade

Thirty years after the first U.S stealth bomber took flight, the U.S. Air Force's "ageing fleet" is all set for an expensive makeover, a report said.

The Pentagon has planned to develop a high-priority, super-classified, next-generation bomber, by upgrading it for the first time since 1970s, the CNN reported.

William LaPlante, assistant secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, has suggested that the LRS-B (Long Range Strike Bomber) will be more traditional and that the Air Force would keep the aircraft affordable, offering a "cost-plus" contract not risking any cost overrun.

Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula, said that the main reason to upgrade the aircraft is to counter constantly evolving threats around the world.

Deptula added that the new aircraft would be able to create self-forming, self-healing "combat cloud" capable of sharing information with other aircraft and conducting a diverse array of operations.

The Long Range Strike Bomber program would be the most expensive weapon system under the Air Force's $17 billion research and would be able to carry large payload, have long-range capabilities, high survivability, and sufficient adaptability to incorporate the evolving sensor and weapon technology

According to the Pentagon, a total of 100 planes would cost close to 55 billion dollars.