USAF unveils the B21 Raider

[Paratus]

Since only the USA is building these a next gen bomber is basically what they say it is.

The revolutionary feature this allegedly brings to the table is unmanned capability. Aside from that most of what it brings is evolutionary, better and cheaper to maintain stealth coatings, they’re suggesting it has better range than the B2, probably a smaller radar cross section, possibly stealthier to things like IRST, there’s a suggestion it has some ability to engage enemy fighters although I don’t know how.

My no knowledge off the cuff thought: AIM 9X high off bore infrared air to air missiles.

If you have a bomb bay then you can store missiles. Add in some of the F35 passive sensor integration with the helmet cue system and you can probably shoot AA missiles at whatever is coming your way without using active radar.

 

[gorobei]

the usaf intends for the b21 to be around for like 40 to 50 years with the upgrades. it's a big bomb (or missile truck) so sticking a bunch of next gen aam with extended range from the rotational pulse detonation motor in development shouldnt be difficult. something like the amraam with 200mile range could easily hold off an interceptor coming from below.

airborne lasers could easily be a mountable package in the bomb bay in 20 years.

 

[pauldun170]

the usaf intends for the b21 to be around for like 40 to 50 years with the upgrades. it's a big bomb (or missile truck) so sticking a bunch of next gen aam with extended range from the rotational pulse detonation motor in development shouldnt be difficult. something like the amraam with 200mile range could easily hold off an interceptor coming from below.

airborne lasers could easily be a mountable package in the bomb bay in 20 years.

It's more than a bomber. It's an information hub\surveillance platform\ECM platform.
Bombs\Missiles are only part of it's role.

 

[rommelrommel]

I wonder if they found a way to dump out air to air missiles without compromising stealth?

 

[pauldun170]

I wonder if they found a way to dump out air to air missiles without compromising stealth?

An F-35 or F22 or B-21 opening the bay to release is going to have a miniscule impact on detection.
It's quick event.

 

[skyking]

The missile lighting up is far from miniscule. That's the event I'd be calibrating for.
Maybe build stealth cruise AA missiles? They could get away from the host aircraft a ways before going supersonic.

 

[Aikouka]

Today the USAF unveiled the latest stealth bomber, the B21 raider, at Edwards AFB. Notice how their reveal is only from the front just like when the B2 was rolled out. I wonder if they will actually fill their production quota with this procurement run.

I recall someone telling me once that views from the rear of planes like this are often too sensitive due to being able to (potentially) derive (some) performance characteristics.

 

[Pohemi]

I recall someone telling me once that views from the rear of planes like this are often too sensitive due to being able to (potentially) derive (some) performance characteristics.

I bet even the angles of the engine exhaust vent walls are classified.

 

[gorobei]

I recall someone telling me once that views from the rear of planes like this are often too sensitive due to being able to (potentially) derive (some) performance characteristics.

at least they got it right this time.

back when they revealed the b-2 there were a few mistakes:

• held during daylight hours
• pulled the plane fully out of hanger
• didnt clear the airspace so an aviation journalist rented a plane and took direct top down photo showing the rear.

indexed

they also go over the performance specs math from the landing gear arrangement.

 

[hal2kilo]

Heck, they went crazy when someone got a picture of the screw on a 688 with the shroud off at the Groton shipyard back in the mid 80's. After years of deployment and maintenance they finally gave up keeping them covered.

 

[IronWing]

I bet even the angles of the engine exhaust vent walls are classified.

outside - 17°
inside - 14°
bottom - 4°
top - secret

 

[Zorba]

I bet even the angles of the engine exhaust vent walls are classified.

Absolutely and the inlets.

 

[JTsyo]

I wonder if they found a way to dump out air to air missiles without compromising stealth?

I have thought about this before and if they put the bay door on top away from the most probable radar location, that might help. Since the bombs wouldn't no longer be gravity launched, you would need a launcher that would throw them up. Would take up space and weight though.

 

[Artorias]

Latest stealth bomber to be revealed.

Makes you wonder what the actual stealth fleet of the US army is composed of since revealing this iteration must be "old" tech.

 

[rommelrommel]

Latest stealth bomber to be revealed.

Makes you wonder what the actual stealth fleet of the US army is composed of since revealing this iteration must be "old" tech.

I doubt it. There may be an Aurora style stealth plane that there are a handful of, even that I dunno. The B2 program cost around 20 billion dollars at the time. That's a hell of a lot of spending to hide. In today's world it's just too hard to keep a plane you're using operationally totally unspotted.

 

[Zorba]

Latest stealth bomber to be revealed.

Makes you wonder what the actual stealth fleet of the US army is composed of since revealing this iteration must be "old" tech.

They just started working on this in about 2015. I got a nice raise at work after a ton of my coworkers quit to go work on it.