The B-21 Raider is programmed to be the game changer for strategic bomber capabilities within the U.S. Air Force, as it will turn into a dual-capable penetrating strike stealth bomber capable of carrying conventional and nuclear munitions. This new aircraft will be put into service together with the venerable B-52 Stratofortress to make up the future backbone of the Air Force bomber force. As the B-21 is designed for high-end threat missions, it is going to have its main role in making sure American superiority is in the air.
The B-21 Raider is not one aircraft; it is part of the system family under the mission Long-Range Strike, inclusive of ISR, electronic attack, communications, and other associated key capabilities. It will also be nuclear-capable and designed for manned and unmanned operations. It shall provide an assured, penetrating capability using standoff and direct attack munitions in a mix against differently pre-selected aims.
Certainly one of the unique features of the B-21 is the open systems architecture, which envisions the integration of open systems that will help reduce integration risks and increase competition for future modernization efforts. This means that over time, the aircraft design could change with changes or modifications done in the threat environment to have a long-term effective aircraft.
The B-21 Raider, according to the Department of the Air Force’s Rapid Capabilities Office, reports directly to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment and the Secretary of the Air Force. Northrop Grumman was awarded the Engineering and Manufacturing Development contract on 27 October 2015. Other key partners include Pratt & Whitney, Janicki Industries, Collins Aerospace, GKN Aerospace, BAE Systems, and Spirit Aerosystems.
This effort reached a significant milestone in 2018: completion of the Critical Design Review of the weapon system, which establishes the maturity, stability, and risk associated with the design. The Air Force completed the Strategic Basing Process in 2019, which found that Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota; Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri; and Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, were preferred bases for B-21 main operating bases. In 2021, Ellsworth AFB was confirmed as the first main operating base and the location of the Formal Training Unit for the B-21.
The naming of the B-21 Raider is in honor of the famed Doolittle Raiders, who pulled off the daring attack against Japan in World War II. That raid shook Japanese military strategy and was a shot in the arm of Allied morale. The B-21 designation indicates the Raider as the first bomber of the 21st century.
Shortly after the formal rollout on 2 December 2022, flight testing of the B-21 Raider began at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, Andrew Hunter, testified to the Senate Armed Services Committee on 8 May 2024 that flight testing is on schedule to execute timelines and deliver the aircraft to the warfighter. He cited the fact that the B-21 was the first aircraft to be more digital than not, thus capable of delivering its program requirements.
An entering-into-service date in the middle of the 2020s is possible for the B-21 Raider. At least 100 are to be built. Making the test aircraft as production-representative as possible is part of the strategy of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office. It uses the same manufacturing processes and tooling intended for production aircraft. The approach allows for a much easier transition from development into production.
As the B-21 Raider achieves initial operational capability, it will incrementally replace the B-1 and B-2 bombers and help to support national security objectives by reassuring U.S. allies and partners worldwide. The first main operating base will be Ellsworth Air Force Base; Whiteman AFB and Dyess AFB will get aircraft when they are available.
The B-21 Raider made an enormous improvement to the strategic bomber force of the U.S. Air Force, ensuring America will remain at the forefront globally in airpower for decades to come.