The Air Force needs some new bombers. The B-1B Lancer and B-2A Spirit are in the twilight of their careers, and the B-21 Raider, a new stealth bomber from Northrop Grumman, is looking to become the lead bomber for the United States.
“Our opponent’s defenses have improved tremendously since the advent of the B-2,” said Thomas DiNanno, adjunct fellow at the Hudson Institute. “Chinese and Russian air defense systems, the S-400, the S-500, are extremely powerful, they are extremely dangerous. So modernizing advanced stealth capabilities is important.”
Digital design, focused Air Force requirements and Northrop Grumman’s previous experience operating a covert flying wing are credited for why the program appears to be on track and on budget.
“The B-21 looks a lot like the B-2 because the fundamentals of stealth and long-range air penetration are based on the concept of a flying wing,” said Doug Young, vice president and general manager of strikes at Northrop Grumman. “And that even goes back to the YB-49 jet, when Jack Northrop actually created some of the first flying wings.”
Watch the video above to learn more about the new high-tech stealth bomber slated to fly in 2023.