Amid Fears of World War III, US Launches B-21 Raider Nuclear Stealth Bomber

Amid Fears of World War III, US Launches B-21 Raider Nuclear Stealth Bomber

International Military - The United States (US) has finally launched its newest nuclear stealth bomber, the B-21 Raider, amid fears of the outbreak of World War III. The B-21 Raider, which is considered a sixth-generation aircraft, is claimed by its makers to be able to hit targets anywhere in the world.

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America's most advanced Bomber aircraft was launched on Friday when the Russia-Ukraine war was raging. The war has sparked fears of turning into World War III as the US and its NATO alliance supply Kiev with massive weapons, angering Moscow.

The B-21 Raider Bomber aircraft will form the backbone of the future US airborne nuclear weapons fleet and are designed to survive after hitting even the most defended targets.

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One of its key features is the ability to perform unmanned missions, with pilots flying them remotely from America. This aircraft is the successor to the B-2, which was also revolutionary when it entered service, and was also made by Northrop Grumman. The US plans to provide about 100 of these aircraft to the US Air Force. However, Northrop Grumman has so far acknowledged that only six units are currently being produced.

US B-2 Bombers that have been in Operation for the last 30 years

"With the ability to engage targets of risk anywhere in the world, this weapon system is critical to our national security," said Doug Young, vice president of attack division at Northrop Grumman.

Little is known so far about the B-21 although there is speculation that the mysterious shape spotted at the top-secret Area 51 could be the plane. According to satellite images a large unidentifiable object is sitting at the end of the runway near a large white hanger. From the information that came out, the B-21 Raider takes most of its design from its predecessor.

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With potential adversaries of the US developing and deploying sophisticated new air defense systems, much of the focus during development was survivability. The B-21 must be able to penetrate the toughest defenses and China has claimed that its radar can detect even stealth aircraft.

In addition to carrying out bombing missions, the B-21 aircraft will be able to collect and share intelligence, assisting in direct strikes on a variety of targets. The use of open source software will allow the aircraft to be easily upgraded, ensuring it remains flexible and up to date while extending its useful life.

China itself has been eyeing stealth technology for years. Beijing is known to have developed the Xian H-20 stealth aircraft, which bears a striking resemblance to US stealth aircraft.

Northrop Grumman won the contract to build the nuclear stealth bomber in 2015. The Raider is named in honor of the "Doolittle Raiders" of World War Two. On April 18, 1942, 80 airmen in 16 B-25 Mitchell aircraft made the first attack on Tokyo after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The attack was planned and led by James "Jimmy" Doolittle of the US Air Force.