Complete information on the B-21 Raider, the newest U.S. bomber
The Air Force hypothesizes that, in the event of an armed conflict with China, the new aircraft would be the protagonist of most attacks, as it is specially designed to endure long flights and has a formidable combat capability.
It is known as the B-21 Raider and is manufactured by Northrop Grumman. It is the first new bomber for the United States Air Force since the B-2 Spirit was launched in 1988. It is the most advanced combat aircraft ever created. And it was unveiled on Friday in Palmdale, California. In the coming months, U.S. forces will have up to six aircraft available.
MESSAGE TO CHINA
The Air Force hypothesizes that, in the event of an armed conflict with China, the B-21 Raiders would be the primary attack aircraft, as they are specially designed to endure long flights and have a formidable combat capability. According to Northrop Grumman, the new bomber can penetrate enemy air defenses and launch attacks in any part of the world. The aircraft can carry both conventional and nuclear weapons.
THE ORIGINAL FLIGHT
The initial flight of the B-21 bomber is expected to occur in August 2023. The aircraft will be stationed at the Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, where pilot training will also occur. The U.S. Air Force intends to acquire at least a hundred bombers at $692 million each. Northrop Grumman stated that six aircraft are in various stages of assembly and testing at its Palmdale facility. The bomber will be a vital component of the “nuclear triad” of the United States, which consists of weapons that can be launched from land, air, and sea.
SECRETARY AUSTIN’S WORDS
“The B-21 Raider is the first strategic bomber produced in over thirty years. It exemplifies America’s enduring advantages in inventiveness and innovation, “Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stated during the ceremony. Austin praised its range and durability, stating that “no other long-range bomber can match its efficiency” and that it is “designed to be the most maintainable bomber ever.” The B-21, like the F-22 and F-35, is equipped with stealth technology, which minimizes an aircraft’s signature through its shape and construction materials, making it more difficult for adversaries to detect. According to Austin, this aircraft is the result of fifty years of advancements in low-observable technology. Even the most advanced air defense systems will have difficulty detecting the B-21 in the sky.
Name origin
“On a cold, rainy April morning, four months after Pearl Harbor, 16 U.S. Army bomber planes took off from an aircraft carrier in the Pacific,” Austin said. The Doolittle Raiders “flew more than 650 miles to hit distant enemy targets, and the strength and range of American air power was demonstrated.” The plane’s name refers to Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle’s 1942 bomber raid on Tokyo, the first American attack on Japan since Pearl Harbor.