By Pedro Bianco
En esta noticia
The United States is moving forward with the addition of what will be the most advanced bomber in its history: the B-21 Raider, a next-generation stealth aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons, flying with or without a pilot and costing about $692 million apiece.
It is the first new strategic bomber the country has added in more than three decades, and the program is already underway, with the first deliveries in sight.
What the B-21 Raider is
The B-21 Raider is a stealth strategic bomber developed by Northrop Grumman for the U.S. Air Force. “Stealth” means it is designed to be very hard to detect by enemy radar, which would allow it to penetrate advanced air defenses.
Its makers describe it as a sixth-generation aircraft, meaning it belongs to the most modern technology class, above earlier generations of fighters and bombers.
How much it costs and how many will be bought
Each unit costs about $692 million, according to the value reported by the Armed Forces. The Air Force plans to buy at least 100 aircraft, though some military leaders have said they want that number much higher, to 145 or even 200 units.
Taken together, it is one of the most expensive defense programs underway, with a total estimated investment of about $203 billion over roughly three decades.
It can fly with or without a pilot
One of its most novel features is flexibility in command. The B-21 is designed to normally operate with a reduced crew of two pilots, but it was also built to fly unmanned, meaning with no one aboard. That “optionally manned” capability is one of the aircraft’s technological bets and sets it apart from classic bombers.
Dual-capable: conventional and nuclear
The B-21 is “dual-capable,” meaning it can carry both conventional weapons and nuclear weapons. That makes it a central piece of the future U.S. strategic deterrent force, the air component of what is known as the “nuclear triad” (the land, sea and air means capable of carrying that type of weapon).
When will the first bombers be operational?
The aircraft was officially unveiled on Dec. 2, 2022, in Palmdale, California, and made its first flight on Nov. 10, 2023. The Air Force also said development is ahead of schedule. The first operational units will be based in Ellsworth, South Dakota, with the first delivery targeted for 2027.