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| US B-21 Stealth Bomber |
Washington - The B-21 Raider is a stealth bomber belonging to the United States (US) which is super secret. The B-21 Raider has often been rumored, but was never confirmed by the US military until now.
Quoted from the Eurasian Times, it was reported that the B-21 Raider was a stealth bomber built by the Northrop Grumman company. The B-21 Raider is seen as the successor to the US B-1 and B-2 Spirit fighters. The Pentagon declared its intention to sign a new Long Range Strike-Bomber (LRS-B) contract with Northrop Grumman in October 2015.
The LRS-B was later renamed the B-21 Raider in honor of the Doolittle Raiders. The US Department of Defense wants to acquire at least 100 B-21 Raider bombers.
Sources describe the design on the B-21 Raider to provide a larger and more flexible payload space to provide and carry a variety of weapons. However, details of the B-21 Raider's size, stealth, structure, and onboard sensors are kept secret.
The B-21 bomber engines will be closer to the wing root, positioned at the junction between the wing and the fuselage. The engine air intakes of the B-21 Raider are angled and the fuselage has overwing exhausts to cover the infrared markings of the four engines.
Northrup Grumman officials called the B-21 bomber a significant improvement over the B-2 from a survivability and aero performance perspective. The B-21 Raider is expected to be a heavy strategic bomber designed to carry both nuclear and conventional weapons.
The US Air Force plans to arm the B-21 with its next-generation Long-Range Stand-off (LRSO) cruise missile for nuclear missions. Then the B-21 Raider is also said to be able to carry the new B61-12 with "dial-a-yield" capability.
With both weapons, the B-21 Raider will be able to use stealth cruise missiles to clear a path through enemy air defense networks before dropping bombs on primary and secondary targets.
For conventional missions, the B-21 will carry the JASSM-ER cruise missile along with the 2,000-pound GBU-31 Joint Directed Attack Munition satellite-guided bomb. The US Air Force has instructed B-21 manufacturers to build the aircraft with an "open architecture" hardware and software system. To that end, the B-21 has the potential to be more than just a heavy bomber.
Quoted from the Daily Star, US senator Mike Rounds opened up about the plane after becoming the only elected official to join a secret visit last week. He visited the actual factory where the plane was. And he said he would make his first flight in 2023.
He said: “While much of the information I received on my visit is classified, I am pleased to report that the B-21 was on time and within budget. The public can expect the B-21 to be revealed later this year."