The historic unveiling of the B-21 Raider, the first new American bomber in over 30 years, is taking place on Friday. This sixth-generation aircraft will be a long-range attack aircraft, able to reach any long distance on earth quickly and able to infiltrate advanced integrated air defenses. The live event will begin at 7:30 p.m.
The new bomber was built by Northrop Grumman. This will be the first Air Force combat aircraft since 2016, serving as the fourth new manned combat aircraft in 32 years. Existing U.S. bombers are more than 60 years old on average. It has long been a priority of the U.S. Air Force and Defense Department to modernize the bomber force.
This next-generation bomber features the latest in modern technology and performance. According to the AFA Executive VP Maj. Gen. Doug Raaberg, this bomber will be able to strengthen both nuclear and conventional deterrence.
“In order to deter potential adversaries from risking war, you have to be able to pose a credible threat in response,” Raaberg said.
Raaberg commanded the only B-2 stealth bomber in the nation on the air campaign for Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.
“The B-21 is central to our continued ability to deter war because it possesses the ability to penetrate deep into any territory on the globe,” he said. “As someone who has deployed long-range strike capabilities, I can say with confidence that this aircraft will become the essential backbone of U.S. national security strategy. Its ability to get in, stay in, and kill targets—to hold targets at risk—is how we deter potential adversaries from taking the chance of war with the United States and our allies.”
The B-21 Raider will come out of Northrop’s Plant 42 in Palmdale. After the unveiling, it will begin its initial testing process and the first flight is forecasted for mid-2023.
According to Northrop Grumman, the B-21 will form the backbone for the future of U.S. air power. This new era for combat aircraft brings a new mix of technology and software development.
The aircraft is a digital bomber, using new software and digital engineering tools to alleviate some production risk for the program and allow for modern sustainment practices, according to Northrop Grumman.
Earlier this year, the Air Force successfully demonstrated the migration of the B-21 ground systems data to a cloud environment. Northrop Grumman said this test had proved that the ground systems footprint is capable of being reduced at main operating bases using deployment packages, which will push affordable and ready advantages in both operations and sustainment.
“The B-21 Raider is a true digital native, and this data rights agreement coupled with the cloud-based digital twin allow us to drive down risk in the EMD phase, will enable rapid capability upgrades and lowers sustainment cost over the life of the program,” Sector VP and GM of Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems, Doug Young, said.
The B-21 Raider was named in honor of the Doolittle Raid of WWII. This raid involved 80 airmen, let by Lt. Col. James “Jimmy” Doolittle and 16 B-25 Mitchell medium bombers, changing the course of WWII, Northrop Grumman said. The courageous team shifted momentum in the pacific and were an instrumental part of growth and change, their spirit serving as the inspiration behind the name of this new bomber.
You can watch the live unveiling here.
Contact
Name: Haley Davoren
, Digital Content Manager
Company: GlobalAir.com
Website: http://globalair.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 502-456-3934
©2022 GlobalAir.com, Haley Davoren. All rights reserved.
Recent Comments