Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider to be revealed today, 4:30 p.m. PT/7:30 p.m. ET. https://www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/air/b-21-raider/ . “When people see the exterior of the B-21, it will be very similar to the B-2, ..... “The real differences are inside of the platform." https://breakingdefense.com/2022/12/ahead-of-b-21-raider-reveal-northrop-ceo-touts-tech-you-wont-see/ .
10 Facts About Northrop Grumman’s B-21 Raider https://news.northropgrumman.com/news/features/10-facts-about-northrop-grummans-b-21-raider
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/this-is-the-b-21-raider-stealth-bomber Image Unavailable, Please Login .
Well, seems to be an evolutionary design, building on 30 years experience with the B-2 (same manufacturer). I am surprised it will have 25% less payload: 30,000 lbs vs 40,000 lbs for B-2, which there's only 21 . They are looking to build 100+ of these. What's most interesting is: "The USAF is also planning to acquire a new long-range fighter, known as "Penetrating Counter-Air", that would escort the B-21 deep into enemy territory and help the bomber survive enemy air defenses." So, being invisible isn't good enough? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_Grumman_B-21_Raider Long range planning for sixth-gen fighter: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sixth-generation_fighter https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/new-next-generation-air-dominance-fighter-renderings-from-lockheed The F-35 has barely been deployed and has been a typical Pentagon program, overly complex money pit. A swiss army knife fighter jet. Trying to be all things ..... .
What I don't get is why they revealed it's existence. The MO for the last several decades has been to not announce new bombers until they perform in an actual engagement, right?
Billion(s) dollar budget items need public support? My tax dollars are going where? How many new planes does the AF need? They got the B52, B1, B2, F35, ...... They need to SELL it. .
Even before I say it, I know its impossible in todays govt world........why not just build me some new buffs, surrounded by an impenetrable cloud of drones guided from a satellite? (I know; I'm sounding like Dale Brown/Patrick McClanahan )
They'll never learn. Didn't work with the F-111 or the failed A-12 program,why should it work for the F-35. Dinner theater aircraft, does a whole bunch of things but not great at any of them. Maybe the F-35 is a good plane in the long run but would it have been better as a single function/service aircraft.
I'm reminded of Pentagon Wars: At least the Air Force seems to be avoiding that with the B-21. Looks pretty awesome. Hope they don't cut it to just 20 planes and then complain about the price like the B-2 though.
The B-2 (and probably this bomber) needs to be in a climate controlled hangar and there aren’t many large enough to accommodate the 17x’ wingspan. So smaller wingspan= more hangars around the world; smaller wingspan=less lift, less payload.
Image Unavailable, Please Login Hopefully they will purchase enough airplanes to offset the cost for R&D. Time to sell some cookies and cakes.
Our schools get more money than anywhere else on the planet. What they do with it, however, .........
We didn’t need hangars around the world for the war in Afghanistan. We fought them from Missouri.!! https://www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/air/b-2-stealth-bomber/10-cool-facts-about-the-b-2/
I’m aware of that. Hangers were later built at Diego Garcia. I believe the crash in Guam was due to the plane sitting in rain and getting into some electronics.
2008 Andersen Air Force Base (Guam) B-2 accident https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Andersen_Air_Force_Base_B-2_accident .
Yep there was water in the static system that wasn't drained prior to flight, gave incorrect readings to the flight control computer. The aircraft is fly by wire and the pilot only gets to vote on what he wants the plane to do, the computers decide what action to take.
In the grand scheme of things there are plenty of hangars to house the B-2/B21. B52 is substantially larger so as they are phased out there will be plenty of hangars available. Image Unavailable, Please Login
phased out? HAH! The B-52 will be flying FOR EVER! >>> They haven't even been re-engined yet. B-1 and B-2 will be looong gone and the B-52 will still be flying. https://www.airandspaceforces.com/rolls-royce-wins-b-52-re-engining-program-worth-2-6-billion/ .
Agree, they probably will fly forever. Here's one trying to impersonate a B2 Image Unavailable, Please Login
((Crashed on take-off following stall due to severe air sensor malfunction caused by heavy rain and a faulty recalibration procedure, plus a related flight computer error)) Wow. Most expensive crash in aviation history.
