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Unveiling the B-21 Raider: The Future of U.S. Air Power

PALMDALE, Calif. – Dec. 2, 2022 – The Northrop Grumman Corporation and the U.S. Air Force redefined the future of stealth technology during an unprecedented reveal of the B-21 Raider, the world’s first sixth-generation aircraft. The B-21 is designed to be the backbone of the U.S. Air Force’s strategic bomber fleet and a key player in the nuclear triad as a visible and flexible deterrent.

Kathy Warden, the chief executive of Northrop Grumman, has underlined the marks this technological wonder strikes: “The B-21 Raider defines a new era in technology and strengthens America’s role of delivering peace through deterrence.” The aircraft is designed to meet complex missions with advanced integration of data, sensors, and weapons, hence personifying the future of U.S. air power.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III hailed the B-21 for its role in the National Defense Strategy, saying it is a testament to America’s enduring advantages in ingenuity and innovation. He said, “This bomber was built on a foundation of strong, bipartisan support in Congress. And because of that support, we will soon fly this aircraft, test it, and then move into production.”

The B-21 Raider is designed to feature sixth-generation capabilities such as stealth, information advantage, and open architecture that can integrate rapid technological advancements. Thus, the aircraft will be able to outpace any future threat and continue to play a dominant role in the skies.

Tom Jones, Corporate Vice President, and President of Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems added, “With the B-21, the U.S. Air Force will be able to deter or defeat threats anywhere in the world.” That fast evolution through rapid technology upgrades is enabled by the digital ecosystem that underpins the lifecycle of the aircraft.

The B-21 Raider named after the Doolittle Raids of WWII honors the 80 men led by Lt. Col. James “Jimmy” Doolittle in a raid that changed the tide of war. It’s a B-21 bomber because it is the first bomber of the 21st century.

Northrop Grumman has invested extensively in advanced manufacturing techniques and digital engineering tools to ensure the success of the B-21 aircraft. It has also been able to demonstrate the ability to migrate B-21 ground systems data to a cloud environment, improving maintainability and sustainability.

But the B-21 Raider is more than just a bomber-it is a digital aircraft that has been designed with rapid upgradeability in mind. It does not need any block upgrades like other aircraft from earlier generations. It will instead be continuously upgraded through agile software and with its hardware flexibility.

Since the contract award in 2015, Northrop Grumman assembled an integrated national team composed of more than 8,000 people-industry partners and the Air Force to design, test, and build this advanced strike aircraft. The team includes more than 400 suppliers across 40 states.

The B-21 Raider is essential for supporting the nation’s strategy of strategic deterrence. This advanced long-range precision strike capability enables the Combatant Commanders to hold any target, anywhere in the world, at risk. It is also designed as the lead component of a larger family of systems that will deliver intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, electronic attack, and multi-domain networking.

The B-21 Raider is continuing its flight test campaign at Edwards Air Force Base on track to meet its key performance parameters. The development of the aircraft has been as precise as the digital environment from which it emerged, ensuring an efficient transition into both production and operational capability.

The B-21 Raider represents a quantum leap in military aviation-a manifestation of innovation and resilience that have characterized American air power for decades.

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