According to reports, Pentagon officials have announced that Northop Grumman's B-21 Raider, a stealth bomber scheduled to enter service by 2027, will be produced at a low rate.
Defense News reported William LaPlante, the Pentagon's acquisition chief, told reporters that the aircraft was approved for production in the fall after seeing the results of its flight and ground tests.
“One of the key characteristics of this program is that it was designed from the beginning and for large-scale operations to provide a credible deterrent against attackers,” he said. I did. “Capability doesn't really matter if you're not producing and deploying combatants at scale.”
The B-21 will become part of the Air Force and begin fielding a fleet of at least 100 B-21 Raiders, with the first expected to enter service by 2027.
US Air Force releases new photos of B-21 Raider during Colorado Symposium
The B-21 Raider, which will be unveiled in December 2022, will be a dual-capability penetrating stealth bomber capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear munitions. The B-21 will form the backbone of a future Air Force bomber force consisting of B-21s and B-52s. (U.S. Air Force)
The new stealth bomber is being deployed to replace the current B-1 Lancer and B-2 Spirit and is expected to enter service by 2027. By 2040, the B-21 is expected to completely replace older bombers.
The Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) says on its website that the B-21 will be a double-penetrating attack stealth bomber capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear munitions.
“The B-21 will form the backbone of a future Air Force bomber force consisting of B-21s and B-52s,” the site said. “Designed to operate in tomorrow's high-end threat environment, the B-21 will play a critical role in ensuring America's enduring air power.”
Air Force unveils B-21 Raider stealth bomber
The new B-21 Raider bomber has the ability to carry out air strikes with conventional and nuclear weapons. (U.S. Air Force)
The B-21 Raider is expected to cost nearly $700 million per aircraft, according to 2022 estimates from the Pentagon. The first test flights of the new bomber are expected to take place later this year.
Gen. Thomas A. Bussiere, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, speaking at the 2023 Air and Space Force Warfare Symposium in Aurora, Colo., in March 2023, said the Air Force plans to maintain more than 220 bombers in the long term. He said he plans to acquire it. Term plan.
The U.S. Air Force said in a press release that the aircraft was designed with an open architecture that allows for the rapid introduction of mature technology. It is also designed for support, maintainability, and sustainability.
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The Pentagon is visible from a plane taking off from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
“Integrated technologies and open architecture systems will provide the potential capabilities to advance, modernize, and keep weapons systems on the cutting edge of future threats,” Bussiere said.
The B-21 Raider is America's first new bomber in more than 30 years, and nearly every aspect of the program is classified.
When the bomber was first unveiled in December 2022, Northrop Grumman said the unveiling of its latest nuclear stealth bomber would be the first time the public would see the world's first sixth-generation aircraft. Ta.
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“Once delivered to the Air Force, the B-21 will join the nation's strategic triad as a visible and flexible deterrent, supporting national security objectives and assuring the nation's allies and partners.” the company said in a release.
The nuclear triad includes silo-launched nuclear ballistic missiles and submarine-launched warheads.
