The US Air Force published new photos of the next-generation B-21 Raider nuclear bomber (photo)
In early December 2022, Northrop Grumman unveiled the next-generation B-21 Raider nuclear bomber. Nine months later, the US Air Force published two new photos of the plane.
What is known
The B-21 Raider will be a nuclear weapons carrier. The next-generation aircraft will replace the B-1B Lancer and B-2 Spirit strategic bombers. The US Air Force wants to buy at least 100 new-generation bombers to fly alongside the B-52J Stratofortress.
One of the strengths of the B-21 Raider is its open system architecture. This feature will ensure that modern technologies can be quickly integrated in line with emerging threats.
The B-21 Raider is expected to make its first flight in late 2023. Currently, Northrop Grumman has several prototypes at different stages of production. The U.S. Air Force wants to avoid the parallelism problem that plagues the fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II fighter jet. This means that procurement of the B-21 will begin only after the development is completed.
