China News Service, December 3rd reported that the latest US stealth nuclear bomber made its first public appearance after years of secret research and development.
On the 2nd local time, the U.S. Air Force announced the B-21 "Raider" (Raider) stealth strategic bomber in Palmdale, California. bomber.
American B-21 stealth bomber.
Manufactured by Northrop Grumman Defense, the B-21 bomber was named "Raider" in honor of the "bravery" of the pilots who carried out the Doolittle Raid in World War II.
Northrop Grumman said the B-21's unveiling marked "the first public view of the world's first sixth-generation aircraft."
While the definition of a sixth-generation aircraft is still being refined, the B-21 still outperforms other production aircraft in its digital capabilities and ability to operate in manned or unmanned operations.
The company even called it "the most advanced military aircraft ever built" and the bomber would be capable of deploying nuclear and conventional weapons.
The sixth-generation aircraft is expected to help the U.S. Air Force "break through the toughest precision strike defenses anywhere in the world."
The US "Wall Street Journal" stated that the cost of a single B-21 is about 750 million U.S. dollars. It has a futuristic flying wing design and is designed to fly thousands of miles, strike targets deep behind enemy lines, and avoid detection by the most advanced air defense systems.
The aircraft is the first part of a $1 trillion upgrade to the U.S. nuclear deterrent that will also include new nuclear submarines and land-based missiles.
The B-21 has "advanced cyber capabilities," which could mean the stealth bomber will be able to coordinate and communicate with other equipment, including satellites, ground stations and other aircraft.
Perhaps the most revolutionary feature of the B-21 was its stealth capabilities.
Stealth technology is one of the most sensitive and classified technologies in the U.S. military's arsenal, so little is known about the exact stealth systems the bomber will have.
For its part, Northrop Grumman simply said it was "constantly advancing technology, employing new manufacturing techniques and materials to ensure that the B-21 can defeat the anti-access, area Deny the system."
Northrop Grumman was awarded the contract to design and build the B-21 in 2015.
Six B-21s are currently in various stages of assembly and testing at its Palmdale, California, factory, the company said.
The B-21 will fly for the first time in 2023 and may eventually fly without a pilot, the company said.
Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stephenek also said the first flight of the B-21 is expected to take place in 2023.
The U.S. Air Force plans to buy at least 100 of the planes to gradually replace the B-1 and B-2 planes that first flew during the Cold War.
Stephen Neck also said that the B-21 will be the backbone of the US military's future bomber force.
It will have the range, usage and payload to penetrate the most competitive threat environments to reach any target globally.