Low-scale production of the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider stealth bomber has officially begun at the US Department of Defense, initiating what many refer to as a revolution in military aviation. An announcement was made on January 22 regarding the development realization of the LRSB, Long Range Strike Bomber, program that started in 2011 to develop a stealth bomber of the sixth generation. The B-21 Raider will be built in the United States Air Force Plant 42 located in southern California and is intended for replacing the B-1 Lancer and the B-2 Spirit as its main stealth bomber in the fleet.
The B-21 remains a very classified plane, but some facts were revealed about it: this has advanced stealth capabilities. It had unique cockpit windows and advanced radar-absorbent materials to minimize the plane’s radar signature. It will be capable of nuclear-armed weapons delivery-a factor adding strategic value.
The B-21 is expected to be the world’s first sixth-generation warplane and is supposed to cost about $750 million per unit in 2010 dollars, allowing for inflation. That is considerably less than its predecessor, the B-2 bomber, which cost about $2 billion per unit. This lower cost is due to general advances in aerospace manufacturing and stealth capability, as well as greater government ordering 100, compared with 20 B-2s.
It is part retaliation against the security breaches that have taken place in the past, an example of which is the hacking of F-35 designs by Chinese agents in 2009. This extreme secrecy would avoid similar data breaches and is common in programs for stealth aircraft.
The advanced stealth capability of the B-21 makes it capable of executing deep strike missions against targets hitherto impervious to attack. It can also function as a SIGINT platform, undertaking high-altitude long-range reconnaissance and intelligence collection duties. Theoretically, the B-21 could conduct airborne early warning and control missions with better survivability than any aircraft conducting AEW&C duties today, such as the Boeing E-3. It will also be instrumental in U.S. network-centric warfare concepts, potentially operating in concert with other highly networked aircraft, such as the F-35.
But perhaps the most innovative thing about the B-21 is its ability to be manned and remotely flown. This dual capability enables the U.S. Air Force to save priceless pilots from dangerous missions.
Other nations are already responding to the emergence of the B-21. According to Chinese researchers, their advanced hypersonic missiles, traveling at as much as Mach 6, can pop up B-21s during simulated wargames. The B-21, however, is designed to have advanced stealth capabilities to prevent any possible missile locks.
Not just a technological marvel, the B-21 Raider is going to be a war asset that redefines the meaning of air warfare. As it is the world’s first sixth-generation warplane, it is going to point the way in developing future aircraft by setting new standards for stealth capability, versatility, and operational capability.