I know it will never happen but it is fun to spectculate how a new aircraft could be developed. The F-117 used lots of off the shelf equipment repackaged into a new airframe so it’s not really a new idea.

The main aim of such a program would have to be making it affordable, using existing engines, systems and equipment eliminates development costs, but can a new airframe be designed and manufactured to cost the same or less than an existing airframe?

I think it could be done 😉

What’s the purpose of those giant endplates?

That was my first thought too, I think they are just aerodynamic mountings for doing wind tunnel tests on a clean airframe.

A bit like the way they are testing this F/A-18 model.

Maritime attack role eyed for B-1B http://www.janes.com/defence/news/jdw/jdw060522_2_n.shtml

With a current load of 24 JDAMs or a future maximum load of 96 Boeing Small Diameter Bombs, the B-1B is considered a potential solution for the swarming boat scenario, in which dozens of small vessels are used to overwhelm a naval target.

Raytheon tests SDB 2 http://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2006/05/23/206828/Raytheon+tests+SDB+2.html

The company is offering an all-new airframe derived from its larger Joint Stand-Off Weapon to meet the requirement for a 115kg (250lb)-class precision-guided weapon able to attack moving targets.