The US long-range B-2 bomber bears the title of "Most Expensive Aircraft Ever". 33 years after the commissioning, the Pentagon presents the successor. The stealth jet B-21 is smaller, lighter and above all cheaper.
A long-kept US armaments secret has finally been revealed. On December 2, the Air Force plans to present its first new long-range bomber since the end of the Cold War in Palmdale, California: the B-21, nicknamed "Raider". The stealth jet from the forge of the armaments manufacturer Northrop Grumman is intended to secure Washington's military supremacy for many decades.
So far, there are no photos and little information about the new stealth bomber. The fact is that the B-21 is intended to replace the older B-2. Both are flying wings, which means that there is a smooth transition between fuselage and wings. The design harks back to a German World War II aircraft, the Horten IX. The B-21 will have a crew of two, but remote-controlled operation as a drone should also be possible. The unit price is just over $620 million. In total, the Pentagon wants to procure at least 100 B-21s.
The B-21 is said to have state-of-the-art stealth capabilities to trick enemy radar and stealthily penetrate enemy airspace. With the help of tanker aircraft, the so-called "sixth generation" jet should be able to attack any point on earth - even with atomic bombs. In order to keep up with technical developments, the electronics should have an open architecture. This makes it easy to replace individual components without affecting the overall system's ability to communicate.
Computer graphics of the jet released so far do not show any engine exhaust ports. This could disperse the exhaust plume so the bomber doesn't trail a heat plume and clear air turbulence. Details of the landing gear suggest that the B-21 will be smaller and lighter than the B-2. The predecessor was put into service in July 1989 and is considered the "most expensive aircraft of all time" with a unit price of over two billion dollars.
The B-21s will be stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota. Commissioning is planned for 2025. Extensive flight tests are initially scheduled for the coming year.
