Five of the newest B-21 Raider bombers are at the final stage of assembly

21 September 2021 5

Currently, five of the newest Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider stealth bombers are in the process of final assembly. This is three more copies than was previously known, which indicates significant progress and rapid advancement of the Long Range Strike Bomber program, writes the American edition of The Drive.

Speaking at an Air Force Association conference on September 20, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall confirmed that five long-range attack bombers are currently being completed at Air Force 42 in Palmdale, California. At the same time, it is still unknown how many such aircraft the US Air Force is expected to receive at the first stage, i.e. the validation period (meeting specific requirements), which will last until the start of serial production, the newspaper writes.

At the same time, it is known that the US Air Force hopes to end up with about 150 new flying wing stealth bombers. The program is also said to be on budget and generally relatively close to schedule.

However, at one time, six B-2 bombers were built when the Advanced Technology Bomber program was being implemented. The Air Force then hoped to get more than 100 of these bombers, but everything was limited to a tiny fleet of 21 units.

There are very few details about the development of the B-21 Raider in general, the exact status of each instance on the assembly line is unknown. Moreover, there is no guarantee that the aircraft will look exactly like the image. Meanwhile, the countdown to the first flight of the B-21 Raider is on. If the schedule continues, the first B-21 Raider will take off in the first half of 2022. The B-21 Raider is expected to enter service between 2026 and 2027.

The vast complex at Edwards Air Force Base in California is already awaiting the start of a test program. It will be carried out by the newly formed Joint Test Squad. The new bomber will be key to the Pentagon's nuclear modernization program, which is "a top priority for the Defense Department and the Air Force," officials said.

The B-21 Raider will be more than just a bomber - it is a multipurpose and stealthy complex designed for strike, reconnaissance and surveillance, as well as use by other platforms as part of a family of advanced systems. It will also involve many time-tested systems that will mitigate risks. Overall, it will be smaller, but much more flexible and adaptable than its predecessor, the B-2.

In other words, it must be an incredibly wonderful weapon system. Of course, the verdict on how this will all unfold remains in the air, but so far all signs seem to be positive.

- summed up the media.

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Alexndr p

+1

21 September 2021 17: 48

Damn, they did not have time to evacuate from Afghanistan, so they would have won everyone :(

The younger brother of the American keeps up
Volder

-1

21 September 2021 19: 49

Russia has always answered asymmetrically. We are not going to start an arms race. On the topic, the following can be emphasized:
1) There are no missiles for the new strategic bomber yet. The LRSO cruise missile for the B-21 Raider will not enter service until 2030. Its range is about 2,5 thousand km. For comparison: Russia currently has the Kh-101/102 missiles with a range of 5,5 thousand km and the Kh-555 with a range of 2,5 thousand km.
2) After the first experimental flight, as the American experience with another B-1B Lancer strategist shows, at least 10 more years will pass before the serial product is put into service. And no one can predict how many years it will take to produce those 100 B-21 Raiders that Washington wants to order (also at least 10 years).
3) To attack strategic areas of the Moscow region and Moscow itself, a US bomber needs to fly about 2000 km to the Russian border. What does it mean? This means that the B-21 Raider will inevitably be met on the course by Russian MiG-31 interceptor fighters, which have a flight range of 3000 km.
4) It is naive to believe that in response Russia will not send its Tu-160 and Tu-95 bombers with the above missiles to the shores of the United States. In military science, there is such a thing as "unacceptable damage." This is such damage, as a result of which the operation will have to be scaled back. Even the risk of unacceptable damage stops hotheads. So, strategic aviation and nuclear missiles are quite enough to inflict unacceptable damage on the Americans. The American people will simply demolish any power in the country, and carry the president forward with their feet.
1. guleg
  
  -1
  
  22 September 2021 11: 41
  
  Quote: Volder
  Russia has always answered asymmetrically. We are not going to start an arms race.
  
  and that is why we are building our stealth PAK YES
  
  Quote: Volder
  There are no missiles for the new strategic bomber yet. The LRSO cruise missile for the B-21 Raider will only enter service by 2030
  
  there are current missiles - ALCM with a range of up to 3 thousand kilometers
  
  Quote: Volder
  This means that the B-21 Raider will inevitably be met on the course by Russian MiG-31 interceptor fighters, which have a flight range of 3000 km.
  
  firstly, it is necessary to operate not with the ferry range, but with the combat radius. And he has a MiG-31 - 700 kilometers.
  secondly, in order to intercept the target, it must be detected. There will be problems with this, because the efficiency of stealth technology has been proven by practice.
  
  Therefore, you make incorrect judgments in each of your "statements"
  1. Volder
    
    -1
    
    22 September 2021 13: 56
    
    Russia is developing the PAK DA in order to replace the Tu-95. Where is the arms race here? The current ALCM missiles are old, and are designed for the old B-52 bombers. There is no information that the missiles will work for the new B-21 as well. The range of the ALCM does not reach 3000 km. The combat radius of the MiG-31 is from 700 to 2200 km (with refueling). Add the range of the air-to-air missiles here. Enemy aircraft on distant approaches are detected by ground-based radars, of which Russia has plenty. A MiG-31 flies into the detection area to intercept. Stealth technology is not an obstacle to the functioning of Russian radars. As a matter of fact, all of our radars are sharpened to see stealth targets.
    1. guleg
      
      0
      
      22 September 2021 19: 41
      
      Quote: Volder
      Russia is developing the PAK DA in order to replace the Tu-95.
      
      and the US is developing the B-21 to replace its obsolete aircraft. Indeed,
      
      Quote: Volder
      Where is the arms race here?
      
      The PAK FA was created as a response to the Raptor, the Su-27 as a response to the F-15.
      
      Quote: Volder
      There is no information that the missiles will work for the new B-21 as well.
      
      if you do not possess such information, then there are no missiles in the BC? Amazing logic)) ALCM is equipped with B-52 and B-2 bombers, it can also be carried by B-1B. It is being replaced by a more modern and inconspicuous LRSO, and, as reported by military publications,
      
      In terms of range, the LRSO should not be inferior to the old AGM-86B
      
      Quote: Volder
      Combat radius of the MiG-31 from 700
      
      combat radius up to 700 km. This is the maximum. If we also take into account the more or less long time spent in the interception zone, loitering, target search - then even less, 400-500 kilometers. Air tankers will not help you in this case - to get to the refueling point, the refueling itself is a rather lengthy process. The interceptor must find and destroy the target so that it does not have time to escape. Refueling makes sense only when patrolling or on a long ferry flight.
      
      Quote: Volder
      Enemy aircraft on distant approaches are detected by ground-based radars, of which Russia has plenty. A MiG-31 flies into the detection area to intercept.
      
      Stamps about the omnipotence of radar stations, especially over-the-horizon or "long-range" ones. You can enlighten yourself on this topic. And then, when the interceptor came to the search area, cat and mouse starts. Airborne radar, and especially missile seeker, operate in the centimeter or millimeter range, exactly where stealth technology is most effective. Moreover, they are much less powerful than ground-based radars due to the limited size of the antenna and the power of the on-board network.
      
      Quote: Volder
      As a matter of fact, all of our radars are sharpened to see stealth targets.
      
      really? ..)) Even those that were created before the mass distribution of aircraft using stealth technologies? Another cliché and shallow understanding of the issue.
      Any radar will "see" the stealth, the whole question is - from what range. Further. little to see - you need to take on the escort ("aim"). All SNRs work in centimeters. See above.
      
      If stealth was a simple cut of babal. this would not bother the whole world, incl. in Russia.