What is the B-21 Raider? The new next-generation stealth bomber of the United States.

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Deterrence for the United States in the 21st century.", "inLanguage": "en", "author": {"@type": "Organization", "name": "Envanter Media"}, "publisher": {"@type": "Organization", "name": "Envanter Media", "url": "https://envantermedya.com"}, "keywords": "B-21 Raider, Northrop B-21, new stealth bomber, successor to B-2, sixth generation bomber, LRS-B, flying wing"}, {"@type": "Product", "name": "B-21 Raider", "alternateName": ["B-21", "Raider", "Northrop B-21"], "category": "Strategic stealth bomber (sixth generation)", "manufacturer": {"@type": "Organization", "name": "Northrop Grumman"}, "countryOfOrigin": {"@type": "Country", "name": "United States"}, "description": "What is the B-21 Raider? The new strategic stealth bomber from Northrop Grumman, successor to the B-2. First flight in 2023, plan for over 100 units, unit cost $700 million. Deterrence for the United States in the 21st century."}]} Its counterparts in the worldUnited StatesStealth BomberNorthropSixth Generation B-21 RaiderSixth-generation strategic bomber following the B-2 Spirit Northrop Grumman is a sixth-generation stealth strategic bomber developed for the United States Air Force. It was announced in 2022 and conducted its first flight in November 2023. It is designed to be capable of carrying conventional and nuclear munitions and to infiltrate anywhere in the world. The United States plans to purchase over 100 units, with a unit cost estimated at $700 million. A large part of the product’s information is classified. Table of ContentsWhat is the B-21 Raider?Technical SpecificationsB-21 vs B-2 SpiritGlobal CounterpartsRelated NewsOverviewSpecificationsComparisonSources ManufacturerNorthropUnited States First Flight2023-11Prototype Plan100+Following B-2 Cost≈$700 millionper unit What is the B-21 Raider?A sixth-generation bomber following the B-2 B-21 Raider is a new stealth strategic bomber developed by Northrop Grumman under the “Long Range Strike Bomber” (LRS-B) program for the United States Air Force. The name “Raider” comes from the Doolittle Raid during World War II. The B-21 is the successor to the B-2 Spirit, which has been produced by Northrop Grumman since the 1980s. The design of the B-2, which dates back 40 years, has become inadequate against modern air defenses today; while the B-21 is equipped with next-generation stealth technologies, open digital architecture, and AI-supported mission systems. The announced specifications (most of which are still classified): Stealth Design — “Flying wing” architecture similar to the B-2 but smaller and with more modern radar-absorbing materials. Dual Use — Conventional and nuclear munitions. Manned + Optional Unmanned — In future versions, the pilot will be optional. Open Architecture Software — Rapid integration of new weapons and sensors. Pratt & Whitney Engine — The type has not been officially announced. The prototype was unveiled on December 6, 2022 in Palmdale; it conducted its first flight on November 10, 2023. Production continues at Northrop’s facility in Palmdale. The U.S. Air Force plans to purchase at least 100 units. The estimated cost per unit is around $700 million (about one-third the cost of the B-2 — B-2 ≈$2.1 billion). The strategic goal of the B-21 is to provide a platform capable of deep infiltration even against new air defense systems in China and Russia. It is the cornerstone of U.S. long-range nuclear and conventional deterrence in the 21st century. ManufacturerNorthropUnited States Plan100+Units First Flight2023-11Prototype Cost≈$700 millionper unit TypeStealth BomberSixth Generation SuccessorB-2 Spirit Technical SpecificationsFeatureValue TypeLong-range strategic bomber (sixth generation) ManufacturerNorthrop Grumman ProgramLRS-B / Long Range Strike Bomber ArchitectureFlying wing (B-2 philosophy, modern stealth technologies) Crew2 pilots (optional unmanned in future versions) EnginePratt & Whitney (classified type) ArmamentsConventional + nuclear (B61-12, future hypersonic) Mission RadiusVery long range (exact value classified, estimated 6,000+ km) SoftwareOpen architecture, modules StealthLatest generation radar-absorbing materials, engineering design SuccessorB-2 Spirit Fleet Goal100+ units (U.S. Air Force) First FlightNovember 10, 2023 Expected Operational2027-2030 Unit Cost≈$700 million (initial program target) B-21 vs B-2 Spirit B-2 first flew in 1989, 21 units producedB-21 goal of 100+ unitsB-2 ≈$2.1 billion, B-21 ≈$700 million — 1/3 the costB-2 bomber over 20 years oldB-21 open architecture software — rapid updatesB-21 optional unmanned designShared philosophy: flying wing + deep penetration Global Counterparts BomberManufacturer / CountryClassStealth B-21 RaiderNorthrop — 🇺🇸Sixth generationFull B-2 SpiritNorthrop — 🇺🇸StealthFull B-52 StratofortressBoeing — 🇺🇸ClassicNone B-1B LancerBoeing — 🇺🇸SupersonicLow Tu-160 BlackjackTupolev — 🇷🇺SupersonicLow Tu-95 BearTupolev — 🇷🇺ClassicNone H-20 (in development)Xi’an — 🇨🇳Stealth (?)Full (target) The H-20 from China is considered the closest competitor to the B-21; it has not been officially introduced yet, but its design has been announced as a stealth flying wing for years. The “bomber race” between the United States and China will continue with these two platforms until 2030. SourcesWikipedia · Northrop Related News Recent content on our site related to this product Loading… (function(){ var root=document.getElementById('em-related');if(!root)return; var status=document.getElementById('em-related-status'),row=document.getElementById('em-related-row'); var cats=root.dataset.cats,kw=(root.dataset.keywords||'').toLowerCase(); function esc(s){return String(s||'').replace(/[&"]/g,function(c){return ({'&':'&','':'>','"':'"'})[c];});} function fmtDate(d){try{var x=new Date(d);return x.toLocaleDateString('tr-TR',{year:'numeric',month:'long',day:'numeric'});}catch(e){return ''}} fetch('/wp-json/wp/v2/posts?categories='+cats+'&per_page=10&_embed&orderby=date&order=desc').then(function(r){return r.json()}).then(function(posts){ var slug=window.location.pathname.replace(/\/$/,'').split('/').pop(); posts=posts.filter(function(p){return p.slug!==slug}).slice(0,4); if(!posts.length){status.className='none';status.textContent='No separate news about this product yet.';return} status.style.display='none';row.style.display='grid'; row.innerHTML=posts.map(function(p){ var m=(p._embedded&&p._embedded['wp:featuredmedia']&&p._embedded['wp:featuredmedia'][0])||null; var img=m&&m.source_url?'':''+esc(p.title.rendered.split(' ')[0])+''; var t=p.title.rendered.replace(/]+>/g,''); return ''+img+''+fmtDate(p.date)+''+esc(t)+''; }).join(''); }).catch(function(){status.textContent='Failed to load news.'}); })();

What is the B-21 Raider? The new next-generation stealth bomber of the United States.

Technical Specifications

B-21 vs B-2 Spirit

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What is the B-21 Raider? The new next-generation stealth bomber of the United States.

Technical Specifications

B-21 vs B-2 Spirit

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The Social Side of Envanter Medya.

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