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B-21 Raider: the new sixth generation bomber of the US Armed Forces

The US Air Force has released two new photos of the advanced B-21 Raider bomber, with one taken from a slightly higher vantage point than the previous images.

The prototype of the B-21 manufactured by Northrop Grumman is difficult to detect, it was made in stealth technology and in the form of a flying wing. The future strategic bomber has the mission to reinforce the capabilities of the United States in terms of deterrence.

“The B-21 changes everything. With this aircraft, we deliver a new generation of stealth technology designed for the US Air Force to accomplish its most complex missions. The world has never seen technology like the B-21,” said Northrop Grumman CEO Kathy Warden as she unveiled the aircraft with similar appearance to the predecessor bomber, the B-2.

The US Armed Forces, together with Northrop Grumman, made the official presentation of the B-21 Raider bomber on December 2, 2022, emphasizing that it is the world's first sixth-generation bomber. The two new images were taken on November 28, days before the presentation.

The new nuclear-capable aircraft is the culmination of seven years of work on the latest type of stealth bomber and is the first new aircraft in its class in over 30 years. As Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin announced at a ceremony in Palmdale, Calif., the new aircraft is expected to be the "backbone" of the US Air Force's firepower and embody the "integrated deterrence" strategy.

Even the most advanced air defense systems will have trouble detecting the B-21 in the sky, Austin said.

He also praised its long range, durability, versatility, "early space age" and adaptability to new weaponry.

According to the announcement, the US Air Force is expected to acquire at least 100 aircraft. The first should be produced next year. The estimated cost of a bomber is around $730 million, and according to Bloomberg, the cost of work on the new aircraft was within the originally planned budget of $25 billion, which is very rare.

As mentioned by Austin, the name of the aircraft, Raider, refers to the participants in the so-called "Doolittle's Raid" of 1942, a daring bombing raid on Japanese cities that was the first attack on Japanese territory and symbolic revenge for the bombing of Pearl Harbor.