The B-21 Stealth bomber has been having flight tests for a few months. U.S. Air Force’s B-21 Raider stealth bombers are now conducting test flights from Edwards Air Force Base in California. The first B-21 flew for the first time November, 2023. Six pre-production B-21 have been built.
The Air Force currently expects the B-21 to enter service in the latter half of this decade. The Raider is slated to replace the service’s B-1B and B-2 bombers. If there was an urgent need it is likely that the US could rush the B-21 into service by early 2025. The first B-21s could be delivered as soon as 2025-2026 under a more normal deployment.
The Air Force should have 24 to 30 operational B-21s by 2030. The US would ramp up to building about ten B-21s per year at full planned production.
The US bomber inventory is 141 B-52s, B-1s and B-2s. This is smaller than at almost any time in USAF history. The Pentagon’s current plan yields a bomber fleet of just 133 by 2033. The B-21s would start operating before the B-1s and B-2s are retired.
The US has 20 operational B-2s. The US has about 67 operational B1 bombers.
The B-21 weapon system is manufactured under the Air Force’s contract with Northrop Grumman. It is designed with an open systems architecture, enabling rapid insertion of mature technologies, and allowing the aircraft to remain effective as threats evolve over time. The aircraft is expected to enter service in the mid-2020s with a production goal of a minimum of 100 aircraft.
The Air Force Rapid CapabilitiesOffice manages the acquisition program, focusing on making test aircraft as production representative as possible. Test aircraft are built on the same manufacturing line and use the same manning and tooling that will be used in the eventual production.
The AFRCO’s strategy includes building test aircraft as production-representative as possible. Rather than a traditional flight prototype approach, B-21 test aircraft are built including mission systems using the same manufacturing processes and tooling for production aircraft. This approach in development laid the groundwork for production to start more quickly.
In December 2022, an Australian Strategic Policy Institute report advocated the acquisition of a number of B-21 Raiders to enable Australia to have a greater long-range strike capability. The report states that a B-21 could fly 2,500 miles (4,000 km) without refueling while carrying more munitions as compared to the maximum 930 miles (1,500 km) range of the RAAF’s F-35 fighter jets, which require air-to-air refueling. A single B-21 can also deliver the same impact as several F-35As. The B-2A block 30 has more range of 6,900 mi (11,000 km, 6,000 nmi).
The B-21 could also operate as an unmanned drone.
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
Known for identifying cutting edge technologies, he is currently a Co-Founder of a startup and fundraiser for high potential early-stage companies. He is the Head of Research for Allocations for deep technology investments and an Angel Investor at Space Angels.
A frequent speaker at corporations, he has been a TEDx speaker, a Singularity University speaker and guest at numerous interviews for radio and podcasts. He is open to public speaking and advising engagements.
The B21 and B2 look the same. I just hope the B21 is much cheaper to maintain to justify building it.