B-21 Raider / Featured Platforms | The Stealth Channel

Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider

Country of Origin: United States of America

Branch of Service: United States Air Force

Manufacturer: Northrop Grumman

Type: 6th-Generation Strategic Stealth Bomber

Original Program: Long Range Strike-Bomber (LSR-B} (12011)

First Flight: November 20, 2023

In Service: 2027 (planned)

The road to the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider was a long and winding one. The road originated with the U.S. Air Force’s Bomber Roadmap in 1999. This was originally just intended as a program to upgrade the service’s existing bomber force of B-52 Stratofortresses, B-1 Lancers and B-2 Spirits. This program was later modified into the 2037 Bomber program the same year. In addition to modernizing and extending the service life of their existing bombers, the 2037 Bomber program also planned to defer the introduction of a new bomber, which included a concept for a hypersonic spaceplane bomber.

Air Force officials revised the program in 2001 and accelerate the introduction of a new medium bomber in 2018. This new program was called the Next-Generation Bomber (NGB), or unofficially, the 2018 Bomber. This program was intended to replace the B-52 Stratofortress and the B-1 Lancer. However, this program was canceled in 2009. The Next-Generation Bomber program was replaced by the Long-Range Strike Bomber(LSR-B) program in 2014 with a planned introduction in the mid-2020’s. This program was for a stealthy strategic heavy bomber. Northrop Grumman beat out the competing proposal from the Boeing-Lockheed team and was awarded the contract for the bomber in October 2015. At the 2016 Air Warfare Symposium, the LRS-B aircraft was formally designated B-21. It was planned to acquire 50-100 aircraft at $550 million per aircraft. This total was later revised to a minimum of 100 aircraft and further revised to 150 aircraft and was intended to replace the B-1 and B-2.

On September 19, 2016, the B-21 was formally named "Raider" in honor of the Doolittle Raiders. The then-remaining survivor of the Doolittle Raiders, retired Lt. Col. Richard E. Cole, was present at the naming ceremony at the Air Force Association conference.

The B-21 Raiders are being manufactured at Northrop Grumman’s facility at the United States Air Force Plant 42 near Palmdale, CA. As of the end of 2021, five B-21 test aircraft were nearing completion. The B-21 Raider was public unveiled to a cheering crowd on December 2, 2022 at an evening ceremony at Northrop Grumman's production facilities in palmdale, CA. The aircraft towed the edge of the hanger door and audiences were only allowed to see the front view of the aircraft. Northrop Grumman had learned their lesson from the public unveiling of the B-2 Spirit. the B-2 was towed fully outsideof its hanger in broad daylight. While the audience was only suppodsed to see the front of that aircaft as well, the top view of the B-2 was exposed when Aviation Week & Space Technology had hired a civilian plane to overfly the ceremony and take photographs.

The first flight of the B-21 raider took place on November 10, 2023. There had been anticipation bulding for the previous few days that the B-21 would take flight soon as it was seen doing taxiing tests days earlier. A plethora of aviation photographers were on hand to capture its intial takeoff as a result. An in service date for the B-21 Raider is now scheduled for 2027. Initial basing will be at Ellswoth Air Force Base in South Dakota.

The B-21 is intended by 2040 to replace the U.S. Air Force's 45 B-1 strategic bombers, which date from the 1980s, and 19 B-2 strategic bombers, which date from the 1990s. The B-21 may also eventually replace the Air Force's 72 B-52 bombers, which originally date from the 1950s and as of 2022 are planned to remain in service for many further decades.

In December 2022, an Australian Strategic Policy Institute report advocated the acquisition of a number of B-21 Raiders to enable Australia to have a greater long-range strike capability. The report states that a B-21 could fly 2,500 miles (4,000 km) without refueling while carrying more munitions than the maximum 930-mile (1,500 km) range of the RAAF's F-35 fighter jets, which require air-to-air refueling for longer missions. A single B-21 can also deliver the same impact as several F-35A's. Additionally, the B-21 can attack targets from secure air bases located in Australia's south, with greater proximity to more personnel, fuel, and munitions.

During bilateral talks held in August 2022, it was reported that the US might allow Australia to procure the B-21. When asked if the U.S. would consider allowing Australia to join in developing the B-21 bomber, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall stated, "I don't think that there's any fundamental limitation on the areas in which we can cooperate. If Australia had a requirement for long-range strike, then we'd be willing to have a conversation with them about that." However, the Defence Strategic Review released by the Australian government on April 24, 2023 stated that the B-21 was not considered a suitable option for acquisition. Australia will instead invest in the upgrading of its F-35A's and F/A-18F's to the latest Block 4 and Block III configurations, respectively, to enable both aircraft to be capable of launching the AGM-158C LRASM and the Joint Strike Missile.

In December 2022, an Australian Strategic Policy Institute report advocated the acquisition of a number of B-21 Raiders to enable Australia to have a greater long-range strike capability. The report states that a B-21 could fly 2,500 miles (4,000 km) without refueling while carrying more munitions than the maximum 930-mile (1,500 km) range of the RAAF's F-35 fighter jets, which require air-to-air refueling for longer missions. A single B-21 can also deliver the same impact as several F-35As. Additionally, the B-21 can attack targets from secure air bases located in Australia's south, with greater proximity to more personnel, fuel, and munitions.

During bilateral talks held in August 2022, it was reported that the US might allow Australia to procure the B-21. When asked if the US would consider allowing Australia to join in developing the B-21 bomber, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall stated, "I don't think that there's any fundamental limitation on the areas in which we can cooperate. If Australia had a requirement for long-range strike, then we'd be willing to have a conversation with them about that." However, the Defence Strategic Review released by the Australian government on 24 April 2023 stated that the B-21 was not considered a suitable option for acquisition. Australia will instead invest in the upgrading of its F-35As and F/A-18Fs to the latest Block 4 and Block III configurations, respectively, to enable both aircraft to be capable of launching the AGM-158C LRASM and the Joint Strike Missile.

In 2025, the United States Congress approved funds to acelerate the production rate of the B-21 in light of the emerging threat from People's Republic of China. Some officials have advocated increasing the B-21's total buy from the original planned 100 aircraft to 145 aircraft.

While the B-21 Raider and the B-2 Spirit both share similar features, in particular the stealthy flying wing planform, The B-21 is smaller than the B-2 and its diamond shaped trailing edge more closely resembles that of the original high-altitude design for the B-2 before it was modified with its current sawtooth trailing edge which was necessitated by a requirement to fly low-altitude missions as well. As a result of its smaller size, the B-21 also has a smaller payload capacity in comparison with the B-2. The B-21 has an estimated payload of 30,000 pounds in comparison to the B-2's 40,000 pound payload. The B-21's next generation stealth coatings were designed to overcome the major issue that the B-2's stealth coating have, suseptibility to weather conditions. The B-2 has to be stored in climate controlled hangers while deployed overseas.

The B-21 Raider was one of the first military aircraft to be digitally design and tested before a single piece of physical structure was built. This enabled engineers to design and test solutions before actual physical testing. this has in turned helped the B-21 to be a model program that has stayed within budget and on time.