Page 5 - B 21 News Today

Planes like the F-22, F-35, B-21, and B-2 bombers ensure the U.S. Air Force and Navy are simply the best on Planet Earth. 

Northrop Grumman’s strategic stealth bomber aircraft, the B-21 Raider, has been developed to succeed the B-1 and B-2 fleets in the US Air Force service.

Formally debuted in December 2022, the Northrop Grumman B-21 "Raider" has finally taken to the air for the first time.

Each aircraft to cost $550m in 2010 dollars, or about $750m in todays inflation-adjusted dollars

The B-21 "Raider," the U.S. Air Forces new long-range nuclear-capable stealth bomber, conducted its first flight from Northrops facility in Palmdale, California. The aircraft, built by Northrop Grumman Corp, features a "flying wing" design similar to its predecessor, the B-2.

A short video shot by a freelance photojournalist this morning confirms that Northrop Grumman’s B-21 has taken to the skies.

Despite a futuristic appearance, the B-2 is slated for retirement – to make way for the upcoming B-21 Raider. And while the B-21 looks remarkably similar to the B-2, the B-2’s retirement will mark a sad day for aviation enthusiasts who have spent the last thirty years remarking upon the B-2’s looks and features.

Initially, plans called for this missile to enter service in 2030, but it now appears that the weapon could be ready much earlier.

In comments given to the National Interest, former Trump National Security Advisor Robert C. O'Brien explained that the U.S. Air Force needs 300-400 B-21 Raider stealth bombers considering the growing threat from China's rising military might. 

With news breaking recently that Washington, at most, can only count on a handful of the new stealth bombers in the coming years - caping out at being able to build ten B-21s per year by sometime in the 2030s - many are asking an obvious question: how many B-21 Raiders does the U.S. military need?