The B-21 Raider is the revolutionary bomber capability the United States Air Force needs dual-capable penetrating strike stealth bomber designed to deliver both conventional and nuclear munitions. This will be the advanced aircraft building block of the future Air Force bomber fleet, including the highly respected B-52s. The B-21 is specifically engineered to operate in high-end threat environments and will be a critical component for America to maintain its airpower supremacy.
The B-21 Raider is not just a stand-alone bomber but an integral part of the larger family of systems designed to conduct Long Range Strike missions, including ISR, electronic attack, communication, and other key functions. Importantly, the B-21 will be nuclear-capable and manned and unmanned. It will also be equipped to carry a range of stand-off and direct-attack munitions.
For instance, the B-21 features an open systems architecture that is meant to lower integration risks while allowing future modernization efforts to face more competition. It permits this aircraft to keep up with changing threat environments due to its design philosophy.
The B-21 Raider development falls under the Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office overseen by the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment and the Secretary of the Air Force. The Engineering and Manufacturing Development contract for the B-21 was awarded to Northrop Grumman on 27 October 2015. Northrop Grumman closely works with several principal subcontractors on the B-21 program such as Pratt & Whitney, Janicki Industries, Collins Aerospace, GKN Aerospace, BAE Systems, and Spirit Aerosystems.
The program completed the weapon systems Critical Design Review in 2018, confirming that the design was mature, stable, and presented a low risk. A year later, the Air Force had completed its Strategic Basing Process naming Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota; Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri; and Dyess Air Force Base, Texas as preferred bases to host B-21 main operating bases.
After completing the Environmental Impact Statement process, among other regulatory actions, in 2021 the Air Force announced that Ellsworth Air Force Base will be the first B-21 main operating base and Formal Training Unit location. The B-21 Combined Test Force will be at Edwards Air Force Base in California at the Air Force Test Center, while bomber depot planning will occur at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma at the Air Force Sustainment Center.
The B-21 Raider was named after the legacy Doolittle Raiders, who on April 18, 1942, launched a surprise attack against Japan during World War II. This raid forced Japan to pull combat forces back for home defense and provided a much-needed psychological morale boost among Americans and U.S. allies. The designation of B-21 demonstrates the Raider will be the first bomber of the 21st century.
B-21 Raider With at least 100 aircraft in the current inventory, the average unit cost per aircraft procured will be $692 million, the base year 2022 dollars. The aircraft will become operational in the mid-2020s ushering the United States into a new era of strategic airpower.
The B-21 Raider is a quantum leap in bomber technology, placing the United States in a paramount position in the world’s airpower capability.