The U.S. Air Force stated on Oct. 20 that it plans to reveal the B-21 Raider stealth bomber aircraft
on Dec 2 during an unveiling ceremony hosted and sponsored by the Northrop Grumman Corporation.
In this video Defense Updates analyzes how B-21 Raider is shaping up?
Let's get started.
The B-21 is a long-range, highly survivable,
penetrating strike stealth bomber that will incrementally replace the B-1 and
B-2 bombers and is expected to become the backbone of the U.S. Air Force bomber fleet.
The Department of the Air Force is investing in the aircraft’s
long-range strike capability as part of its seven Operational Imperatives .
1. Defining Resilient and Effective Space Order of Battle and Architecture
2. Achieving Operationally Optimized Advanced Battle Management Systems (ABMS)
/ Air Force Joint All-Domain Command & Control (AF JADC2)
3. Defining the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) System-of-Systems
4. Achieving Moving Target Engagement at Scale in a Challenging Operational Environment
5. Defining optimized resilient basing, sustainment, and communications in a
contested environment 6. Defining the B-21
Long Range Strike Family-of-Systems 7. Readiness of the Department of the
Air Force to transition to a wartime posture against a peer competitor.
Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall when talking about these , explained "The
sixth imperative has a heavy focus on hardware.
As in other imperatives, this one has echoes to others in the list.
“This initiative, similar to NGAD, identifies all of the components of the B-21 family of systems,
including the potential use of more affordable un-crewed autonomous combat aircraft,” he said.
He added, “The technologies are there now to
introduce un-crewed platforms in this system-of-systems context,
but the most cost-effective approach and the operational concepts for this complement to
crewed global strike capabilities have to be analyzed and defined.”
Kendall also provided more insights stating,
“We’re looking for systems that cost nominally on the order of at least half as much as the manned
systems that we're talking about for both NGAD and for B-21” while adding capability, he said.
“ … They could deliver a range of sensors, other mission payloads, and weapons, or other mission
equipment and they can also be attritable or even sacrificed if doing so conferred
a major operational advantage – something we would never do with a crewed platform.”
B-21 Raider is stealthier with a more optimized airframe,
new Radar Absorbing Material and improved exhaust control to reduce the heat signature.
It is slightly smaller than B-2 but more nimble, has improved performance, can accommodate a more
diversified and dynamic payload and hosts advanced communications and sensor suit.
It is designed with an open systems architecture, enabling rapid insertion of mature technologies,
and allowing the aircraft to remain effective as threats evolve over time.
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr, “The unveiling of the B-21 Raider will be a
historic moment for our Air Force and the nation. We last introduced a new bomber over 30 years ago.
As we look to the threats posed by our pacing challenge; we must continue to rapidly modernize.
The B-21 Raider will provide formidable combat capability
across a range of operations in highly contested environments of the future.”
Andrew Hunter, assistant secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition,
Technology and Logistics stated, “The B-21 program is a powerful
example of America’s long experience with fielding advanced military technology
through an innovative, adaptable and efficient defense industrial base.
The Air Force made the decision early in the life of the program to make the flight test aircraft
production representative, which is paying dividends as we look towards first flight.”
The B-21 weapon system is manufactured under the US Air Force’s contract with Northrop Grumman.
While not officially revealed, Northrop Grumman is
building the B-21 in its factory at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California.
The company announced the rollout date on Twitter. Interestingly, the first week in
December rollout coincides with the Reagan National Defense Forum at the Reagan Library.
The B-21, the first new Air Force bomber since the B-2 Spirit rolled out in Palmdale in 1988,
is expected to make its first flight in mid-2023.
Unlike most such events, including the B-21's predecessor B-2 Spirit,
the Dec. 2 ceremony will reportedly be a higher security event.
It will be open to invitees only and will have tight restrictions on photography.
After unveiling, the B-21 program will continue its extensive testing
campaign with a combined team of professionals from the Air Force
Test Center, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, and Northrop Grumman.
Their work will verify performance and identify areas for improvement for the weapon system.
According to the US Air Force, the first B-21 to roll out will be one of
six already in production. Air Force Global Strike Command wants a fleet of 150 B-21s,
but no fewer than 100 of the new stealth bombers.
Anti-access Area-denial (A2/AD) systems refuse U.S. forces the ability to come
within hundreds or even thousands of miles of an enemy’s territory.
These capabilities include advanced integrated air defense systems with long-range engagement
capabilities able to target and shoot down aircraft from hundreds of miles away,
an example will be Russian S-400
Today these high-end capabilities are being developed and deployed by near-peer rivals
like China and Russia, but they will soon be available to others as well.
In this situation, B-21 Raider will be a key asset since it
has features that make it suitable for penetrating highly defended air space.
As Russia and China still struggle with stealth technology with no operational stealth bomber and
no possibility of having anything soon, B-21 will catapult the US to a league of its own.