According to northrop grumman the B-21
raider will be capable of penetrating
the toughest defenses to deliver
precision strikes anywhere in the world. As the company noted earlier this week
the rise of the raider began in february
2016 when northrop grumman initiated
design and build work for the B-21.
The program has progressed rapidly in
the past five years and it was in
january that. Randall Walden, Director of
the air force rapid capabilities office
said in an interview with air force
magazine that the test article is really
starting to look like a bomber. The defense contractor has also noted
its highly skilled workforce has been
able to leverage cutting edge
technologies. These include the use of highly
immersive virtual environments, as well
as both augmented and virtual reality
and this has been able to drive
innovation in digital engineering and
advanced manufacturing to build the
producible, sustainable and maintainable
21st century bomber.
Our early and continued investment in
infrastructure. Design maturation, risk reduction in our workforce has been
a significant driver of progress on our
first two aircraft on the production
line in palmdale as a result we are well
positioned for low rate initial
production following key milestones in
2022 and beyond.
The B-21 is a heavy stealth strategic
bomber that has its roots in the
long-range strike bomber program or LRSB and early to Mid-2010s procurement
program for a long-range, nuclear-capable
strike bomber. Along with the Russian Pak Da and
chinese H-20 counterparts the B-21 is a
flying wing subsonic bomber that has put
an emphasis on stealth penetration
capabilities and prodigious payload
capacity over raw speed and super
maneuverability.
The B-21 raiders currently confirmed
weapons reportedly include the JASM earth stealthy cruise missile, the 30
thousand pound GBU-57 massive ordnance penetrator
bunker buster bomb and GBU-31 joint
directed attack munition or jdam
satellite guided bomb. Additionally the B-21s armament suite is
being designed with a focus on payload
and configuration flexibility to
accommodate a wide range of roles and
mission requirements, though the full
extent of its battlefield capabilities
has yet to be revealed.
The air force has worked in
collaboration with northrop grumman in
the development of the long-range
penetrating strike aircraft. The B-21 raider is the product of a
proud partnership between Northrop Grumman and the u.s air force. Sullivan
added
we are committed to delivering the
world's most capable technologically
advanced bomber that will equip our war
fighters with every strategic advantage
against our adversaries.
