The B-21 Raider, a new long-range stealth bomber for the U.S. Air Force, has been revealed after years of secrecy.
The U.S. Air Force and defence contractor Northrop Grumman gave the public their first look at the B-21 Raider strike bomber on Friday at the Palmdale, California, facility of the Air Force. The B-21 is more sophisticated than any modern aircraft and is equipped to transport both conventional and nuclear payloads. According to a statement from Northrop Grumman, it won’t be deployed for a number of more years after its maiden flight is anticipated to occur in 2023.
According to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the world would be informed by the announcement of the new bomber that the United States has a “mission to defend America and deter attack.”
The B-21 is essential to the Pentagon’s plan for fending off rising worries about a potential clash with China.
“America’s military strategy will always centre on preventing war. The risks and costs of aggression far outweigh any potential benefits, so we are once more making this clear to any potential adversaries “said Austin.
The B-21 Raider is the first brand-new American bomber aircraft in more than 30 years, and it gets its name from the 1942 Doolittle Raid on Tokyo. According to the Air Force, the aircraft displayed on Friday is one of six currently under production. According to the Air Force, at least 100 B-21 bombers will be available ultimately.
The majority of the B-21’s development’s features have been categorised. According to Northrup Grumman, the aircraft can be modified thanks to its “digital ecosystem” and connectivity to cloud-based communication networks.
Space-age covering materials can make it more difficult to be discovered. The development of this aircraft spans fifty years of low-observable technology, according to Austin. Even the most advanced air defence systems will have difficulty seeing a B-21 in the skies.
Although the bombers are also anticipated to be stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri and Dyess Air Force Base in Texas, the bomber’s first training programme and squadron will be housed at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota.
Government watchdogs are concerned that it won’t be clear how much will actually be spent on the bombers until manufacturing is farther advanced. Before the B-21 takes to the air, it is simple to claim that it is still on schedule. Dan Grazier, a senior military policy fellow at the Project on Government Oversight, told The Associated Press that major issues are only found when one of these systems enters the testing phase.
Sen. John McCain, a late Arizona Republican who served as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, had reservations about the B-21’s expenses as early as 2016. However, Northrop Grumman earlier this year told Bloomberg that the bomber’s development costs were less than the Air Force had anticipated ($25,1 billion).
This article first published on USA TODAY:: Air Force unveils B-21 Raider, America’s newest nuclear stealth bomber, after years of secrecy
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| SL.No | Name | Country |
| 1 | F-35 Lightning II | USA |
| 2 | The F-22 Raptor | USA |
| 3 | Chengdu J-20 “Mighty Dragon” | CHINA |
| 4 | Sukhoi Su-57 | RUSSIA |
| 5 | F/A-18E/F Super Hornet | USA |
| 6 | Eurofighter Typhoon | European multinational |
| 7 | F-15 Eagle | USA |
| 8 | Sukhoi Su-35 | RUSSIA |
| 9 | Dassault Rafale | FRANCE |
| 1o | JAS 39E Gripen | SWEDEN |