The United States Air Force has introduced a new stealth bomber, the B-21 Raider, for its Long Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B) program. Developed to be the backbone of the American bomber aircraft fleet, the aircraft comes equipped with the next generation stealth technology capable of intercontinental strategic long-range capabilities.
Introducing New Stealth Bomber
Take a comprehensive look at the new stealth bomber fleet of the U.S. Air Force, the B-21 Raider.
What is the B-21 Raider?
The B-21 Raider is the world’s first sixth-generation aircraft, capable of conventional and nuclear payloads. Empowering the U.S. Air Force’s warfighting capabilities in long-range stealth bomber prowess, the new stealth bomber further strengthens the American airpower across high-end threat and mission-critical environments.
Why does the Air Force need the B-21 Raider?
The B-21 Raider offers the U.S. Air Force unparalleled air defenses against complex and accelerating adversaries. Prior to the development of the new stealth bomber force, the nation’s stealth forces capable of an intercontinental range accounted for 10% only. Bridging this gap in the strategic bomber fleet of the Air Force is critical to ensuring air superiority across the globe.
With the development of the B-21 Raider, the Air Force plans to replace the aging bomber fleet and update its long-range strategic bomber forces. Growing the Air Force fleet equipped with an intercontinental range increases the nation’s capabilities in penetrating enemy airspace, reaching remote global targets, and deterring various threats to the nation, allies, and partners.
Who develops the B-21 Raider?
The B-21 Raider is envisioned to be a world-class stealth aircraft, triumphing the national security priorities of the U.S. Air Force. A government contractor with an established partnership across federal and commercial sectors and an extensive portfolio in stealth bomber technologies can make this objective a reality within schedule and budget.
Northrop Grumman Corporation boasts over 40 years of partnership with various defense sectors. The company played a pivotal role in the design, development, and maintenance of the nation’s current advanced long-range strike bomber of the Air Force, making it a prime candidate to expand the fleet and build future aircraft.
Why is the B-21 named Raider?
The B-21 Raider pays homage to the Doolittle Raiders, consisting of 80 volunteers led by Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle. The raiders were the catalyst for winning the Battle of Midway in World War II, the almost impossible mission and surprise attack that compelled Japanese forces to cancel their advances in the Pacific theater.
Among the 2,000 submissions for the B-21’s name, “Raider” was chosen by the then-Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein and then-Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James. The Air Force Secretary announced the name in 2016, alongside the last surviving airman from the Doolittle Raiders, Lieutenant Colonel Dick Cole.
What are the game-changing features of the B-21 Raider?
The B-21 Raider is designed to be the game-changer in the aging bomber fleet of the United States. Being the first of its class, the aircraft fleet has dual-capable penetrating strike stealth bomber technologies equipped with conventional and nuclear ordnance. The B-21 Raider is developed with long-range, high survivability, nuclear deterrent capabilities, and mission payload capabilities. Le aboutt’s learn more the key features of the B-21 Raider.
Stealth
Stealth is one of the primary features of the B-21 Raider. Amid the ever-changing defense landscape, stealth is essential to protect the nation’s borders and assert dominance in the global airspace. Some of the stealth features of the B-21 Raider include:
- Anti-access networks
- Area-denial systems
- Nuclear deterrent abilities
On top of the primary stealth features, the B-21 Raider is a cumulation of more than three decades of strike stealth technologies. With the ability to use a combination of stand-off and direct attack munitions, the aircraft is developed to be at the forefront of the U.S. Air Force’s future fleet as one of its most effective aircraft in global aerospace.
Digital cloud technologies
Ushering an era toward a more digital-reliant environment, the B-21 Raider is a digital bomber complete with robust cloud-based infrastructure. Some of the aircraft’s best-in-class digital technologies include:
- Agile software development
- Digital engineering tools
- Ground data systems
- Modern digital twin technologies
The B-21 Raider is set to support various intercontinental operations and sustainment. The Air Force, in collaboration with Northrop Grumman, conducts in-depth demonstration, development, deployment, and testing of data further to enhance the aircraft’s capabilities in cloud environments.
Rapid upgradeability
The B-21 Raider is designed as a customizable aircraft to meet ever-evolving threat environments in aerospace. Designed with rapid upgradeability based on an open architecture, the aircraft can adapt to new technologies, capabilities, and weapons systems through its built-in hardware flexibility and agile software updates.
Through this feature, the B-21 Raider alleviates the need for block upgrades, which was one of the main concerns for earlier generation aircraft. The seamless incorporation of these upgrades ensures the new stealth bomber fleet addresses threats as they happen. Moreover, the B-21 Raider is designed for maintainability amid long-term operations and sustainment.
Global reach
The B-21 Raider supplies the disparity of the Air Force’s intercontinental reach. Global reach is crucial for the nation’s strategic deterrence strategies to address threats across all regions and corners of the world. The development of the B-21 Raider equips the nation with advanced long-range precision strike abilities that can hold and launch targets anywhere in the world at risk.
In addition, the B-21 Raider serves as the lead component of a broader family of systems for multi-domain networking capabilities. The aircraft provides flexibility and deterrence across dynamic global security environments, protecting the interests of the U.S., its allies, and its partners.
Fuel efficient design
Although state-of-the-art features are pivotal to the development of the B-21 Raider, fuel efficiency is just as important amid the energy-scarce environment. The American bomber aircraft adopts a fuel-efficient design, where the surface has been smoothened to reduce drag. Reducing drag means better lift for the entire airframe while lowering fuel consumption at the same time.
Moreover, the ingenious design of the B-21 Raider increases its maximum range while strengthening its stealth capabilities. Other benefits of the aircraft’s design include more internal space, minimized residual thermal signatures, low infrared signatures through its light-gray color, and reduced risk of radar detection with the use of conductive and non-conductive materials.
Which Air Force bases host the B-21 Raider?
The U.S. Air Force plans to have at least 100 B-21s through its contracts with Northrop Grumman. Since the agreement was initialized in 2015, over 8,000 employees, along with industry partners, government colleagues, and suppliers, have worked toward designing, testing, and producing the world’s most advanced strike aircraft.
Although still in production, the Air Force has named several air bases as potential hosts of the B-21 Raider upon completion: Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota; Dyess Air Force Base, Texas; and Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. These locations have been shortlisted as the preferred basing location for the first B-21 primary operations and alternates.
Additionally, the Air Force has picked the Air Force Sustainment Center at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, for work performance related to coordinating the combined test forces of the B-21 Raider. Meanwhile, the Air Force Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, California, has been selected to lead the testing and evaluation of the stealth aircraft.
What are the current developments in the B-21 Raider?
The U.S. Air Force has worked with the prime contractor Northrop Grumman and subcontractors Pratt & Whitney, Janicki Industries, Collins Aerospace, GKN Aerospace, BAE Systems, and Spirit Aerosystems upon the contract’s finalization in 2015. Production has commenced for the initial test aircraft at Northrop Grumman’s manufacturing facility in Palmdale, California.
In December 2022, the public had the first look at the B-21 Raider at the hangar of Northrop Grumman’s Palmdale facility. The unveiling was one of the few moments the Air Force revealed details regarding the newest stealth bomber aircraft, as the production, manufacturing, and specifications remain highly classified.
Although comprehensive developments are in secrecy, reports note that Northrop Grumman recently accomplished the first “power on” test for the B-21 Raider. The contractor is on track to conduct the first flight schedule by the end of 2023. Following the strategic bomber aircraft’s first flight, Northrop Grumman expects to receive a low-rate initial production (LRIP) contract.
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