Air Force set to unveil newest stealth bomber aircraft, the B21

[JEDI]

Air Force unveils newest stealth bomber aircraft | CNN Politics

The Air Force on Friday unveiled its newest stealth bomber aircraft, the B-21 Raider, in Palmdale, California. Built by Northrop Grumman, the bomber was named in honor of the "courageous spirit" of airmen who carried out the surprise World War II Doolittle Raid.

www.cnn.com

the cost of each aircraft, including training materials, support equipment and other components of the bomber, is $692 million.
The Air Force plans to purchase at least 100 of the stealth bombers.

Long term, the idea is for these planes to replace Air Force B-52 bombers, which have been flying for more than half a century – and eventually the B-1 bombers, when they retire sometime in the 2040s.

note1:
The procurement cost per of the previous stealth bomber (B-2), as detailed in GAO reports, which include spare parts and software support, was $929 million per aircraft in 1997 dollars.
$929m in 1997 equals $1.6B in 2022.

note2:
the US originally planned to have a fleet of 132 B-2s, just 21 were ultimately purchased.
so 100 B21's might not happen

Note3:
RIP Stratofortress

 

[biostud]

I'm no military man, but sometimes you don't need the most expensive solution to fix the problem. Thats why the Stratofortress still exists.

 

[JEDI]

I'm no military man, but sometimes you don't need the most expensive solution to fix the problem. Thats why the Stratofortress still exists.

yeah but you first need to clear the area before those pregnant cows can go to the combat zone.

with stealth bombers, you dont (or at least that's what the sales pitch is).
altho i dont think we have ever used stealth bombers without destroying that country's air defenses first?

 

[crashtech]

(snip for brevity)...
Note3:
RIP Stratofortress

Yeah, no. They are finally re-engining the 52. those aircraft might outlast a lot of us at this point, because they are perfectly fine bomb trucks for the kinds of missions that the US engages in most.

https://sgp.fas.org/crs/weapons/IN11413.pdf

 

[pauldun170]

yeah but you first need to clear the area before those pregnant cows can go to the combat zone.

with stealth bombers, you dont (or at least that's what the sales pitch is).
altho i dont think we have ever used stealth bombers without destroying that country's air defenses first?

Internet - Thats expensive for an airplane!!
Military - That's the cheapest option for completing the mission.

 

[biostud]

yeah but you first need to clear the area before those pregnant cows can go to the combat zone.

with stealth bombers, you dont (or at least that's what the sales pitch is).
altho i dont think we have ever used stealth bombers without destroying that country's air defenses first?

Yeah, cruise missiles, drones, fighter jets before B-52?

But for strategic long range missions and scaring off China they might fit the bill.

 

[Ajay]

Well, the Triad stills scares everyone - so it's staying. The major powers aped it for a reason. The US taxpayer (+debt) are footing the bill. I think it's worth it not to be hit with a thermonuclear bombs.

2H 40M to showtime.

 

[ElFenix]

Yeah, no. They are finally re-engining the 52. those aircraft might outlast a lot of us at this point, because they are perfectly fine bomb trucks for the kinds of missions that the US engages in most.

https://sgp.fas.org/crs/weapons/IN11413.pdf

read up about that last week. boeing has been trying to sell the .gov on a re-engine forever. they'd been pitching a 4 engine refit, but seems that would require moving the engine pylons themselves which was always a no-go. so they've settled on the engines from a G650.

 

[gorobei]

the b21 and NGADs(usaf and usn) should be a somewhat cheaper on maintenance of the RAM coatings(one of the bigger costs on the f22 and f35), a team at nc state u have developed a ceramic coating to replace the polymer RAM in last gen. higher durability for the navy and temp tolerance for usaf supersonic.

How a Tougher Skin Could Change the Shape of Stealth Aircraft | Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Matt Shipman Stealth fighters and bombers are among the most expensive aircraft in the world, and they rely on a radar-absorbent polymer skin to avoid detection. But that polymer is so fragile that…

www.mae.ncsu.edu

Navy F-35C Surfaces Wearing New Mirror-Like Skin (Updated)

The 'chrome' F-35C recently arrived at Point Mugu in California, which is hosting other specialized test aircraft for a major exercise.

www.thedrive.com

 

[Stiff Clamp]

ok, I was wondering . . .

While six of the B-21 Raiders are currently in production, the Air Force plans to build 100 that can be used with or without a human crew.

Hopefully it's modular for easy tech upgrades.

 

[crashtech]

read up about that last week. boeing has been trying to sell the .gov on a re-engine forever. they'd been pitching a 4 engine refit, but seems that would require moving the engine pylons themselves which was always a no-go. so they've settled on the engines from a G650.

AFAIR a large part of the lengthy delay for re-engining has always been the fact that fitting 4 big high-bypass turbofans would be too major a change to the pylons, practically a wing redesign that would require extensive testing and certification. Not only that, I think the ground clearance on the outer engine location was too low to use the more fuel efficient and desirable engines.

 

[pauldun170]

ok, I was wondering . . .



Hopefully it's modular for easy tech upgrades.

They designed it with easy upgrades in mind. They are doing away with the whole concept of "blocks"

 

[gorobei]

reveal is live

 

[crashtech]

The B-21 is the second vindication of Jack Northrop's dream. If legend holds, the old man was given clearance to see the plans for the B-2 before he died, I hope that apocryphal tale is true, because it looks like his vision really is the future of bomber aviation.

 

[Racan]

More in-depth article

This Is The B-21 Raider Stealth Bomber (Updated) | The Drive

 

[JEDI]

interesting...It can fold up it's wings.

or just a stupid thirst pic from dumb website?

 

[biostud]

View attachment 72243

interesting...It can fold up it's wings.

or just a stupid thirst pic from dumb website?

It is not a B21.

 

[JEDI]

reveal is live

lol.. i keep thinking battlestar galactica cylon Raider.

also, want to see the b21 in flight!

 

[Charmonium]

I always kinda liked the B1B (born again bomber - hehe). It looks like an airplane not something out of the next Independence Day sequel.

But that info about radar absorbing material looks interesting. I never realized it was so fragile.

 

[Shmee]

Cool. What happened to the B2 bomber?

 

[deadlyapp]

Cool. What happened to the B2 bomber?

It's old

 

[deadlyapp]

View attachment 72243

interesting...It can fold up it's wings.

or just a stupid thirst pic from dumb website?

Would be a catastrophic design for a stealth aircraft

 

[IronWing]

It's old

And paid for.

"Because it's old; that's the chief reason. We haven't any use for old things here." - Brave New World

 

[deadlyapp]

And paid for.

"Because it's old; that's the chief reason. We haven't any use for old things here." - Brave New World

Gotta keep the war machine oiled

 

[crashtech]

Cool. What happened to the B2 bomber?

In short it can be said that too many of the technologies employed in its construction were 1st gen and are costly to maintain and/or unreliable. Presumably this next gen alleviates many of the problems that were revealed in the B-2.