“The U.S. Air Force unveiled the B-21 Raider bomber on December 2—the first new bomber to join the service since 1988. The bat-winged bomber is smaller but more capable than its predecessor, the B-2 Spirit, and the first aircraft will enter service later this decade. The B-21 will replace older platforms and eventually become the mainstay of the U.S. bomber fleet.
The first B-21 Raider was unveiled at Plant 42, the U.S. Air Force’s advanced aircraft research and development facility in Palmdale, California. The B-21 is built by defense contractor Northrop Grumman, which also built its predecessor, the B-2 Spirit. The two aircraft are similar in appearance, with large bat-like wings, a lack of a tail section, a smooth, featureless exterior, and a small, darkened cockpit in the nose.
Kathy Warden, CEO and president of Northrop Grumman, calls the B-21 “a bomber like no other.””
The U.S. Air Force Unveils the New B-21 Raider Stealth Bomber (popularmechanics.com)
So, looks like the B-52H will continue on as we find B-21 doesn’t do everything we need.
Definitely a game-changer! The Chicoms (and Russkies) are shivering in their boots now!
Looks like most of UFOs…We have Seen For Years…Roswell..Stuff
Minus The Alien Propulsion…I Read a Report that One of Our Submarines at Deep Location..had an Object Pass it underwater at the Speed of Sound..1990s Sometime..
Underwater Bases for Aliens Has Always Made Sense..Land and Sea..If They Do
Exist…And The Reports go Back Hundreds of Years..
JT
Ah…ots of Data on Super Cavitation..including Submarines and Torpedos…
Popular Mechanis did a Story about in on June 28,2016 by Kyle Mikokami..
My Concerns aboout The New B 21 Raider and The new Long Rango Helos..is Lagging Production..Development…Which May Inspire Some Nation(s) to do Preem[tives..As Putin Once Again Threatens..
JT
It does not look like the K-4 Schoolbus training flight module prototype designed for children whose parents have a net worth of over $10 billion , that’s for sure. My guess? It’s fake news on behalf of toy companies who are rushing do it yourself glue it together kits for the upcoming holiday gift season. The kids will have been deceived into believing that the democrats are strong on defense. It’s terrible to involve little children in political theatre. Not only that – the fumes from glue are toxic. And another question: were gender rights fully respected by the companies who are involved on this bomber project?
I like the clarity of having one company specialize in a technology like this.
I am amazed that the Germans built something like this in 1944, the Horten 229 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horten_Ho_229. They flew a prototype about 3 times but still this is 1944.
Is it too expensive, is its mission still relevant? Don’t know but I bet it will exceed the B2 and be in a class of its own. This is not a political post, every once in a while I think it is okay to stand back and say, wow.
China’s potential response is discussed here:
https://eurasiantimes.com/china-admits-us-b-21-stealth-bombers-threat-raider/
In terms of military application it is fair to ask how is the B-21 is better than modern long range missiles. The B21 can deliver nuclear weapons, but so can long range missiles. The B21 can strike deep inside foreign territory but so can missiles and without risking a pilot.
Perhaps it was inevitable that this would be the case because we focused on manned aircraft while Russia, China, and even Iran put their R&D into missile development.
The only long range missile we have in abundance is the Tomahawk which has goot targeting but in terms of speed is only slightly faster than the German V1. Russia and China have missile arsenals that can do everything the Tomahawk can do but at super-sonic and hypersonic speed.
So yeah, we can launch a B21 in Idaho and hit them but they will be able to hit back.
Christian Chuba,
We put most of our money into air launched cruise missiles (ALCM) carried in by bombers and fighter/bombers. It’s a different approach from the Russians but it has its own advantages as well as vulnerabilities. Judging by the war in Ukraine, we probably don’t have near enough stockpiled to take on China. Russia in its current state would be hurting if we and the rest of NATO brought our airpower to bear.