(ConservativeJournal.org) – The US military has shared photos of its new stealth bomber, the B-21 Raider. The B-21 Raider is planned to be the next generation stealth bomber for the US Air Force.
The pictures were taken mid-flight. One image shows the bomber above the clouds, while another captures it just above the runway.
The B-21 Raider flight tests have been ongoing at bases in California. Andrew Hunter, the assistant secretary to the Air Force, stated that the program is doing well, and the aircraft is well on its way to becoming an important tool in the US Air Force. According to him, the B-21 Raider is fast advancing towards its role as the backbone of the Air Force’s bomber fleet.
The Air Force plans to build 100 of these planes. The design of the plane is similar to the B-2 Spirit but featuring better materials and overall higher speed. Variants of the plane will be available with and without pilots.
The Air Force has stated that the B-21 relies more heavily on electronics than analog controls. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin emphasized that it has the most long-range capability out of any other bombers in the US. This means it can deliver payloads on positions before even being spotted in the air. He also highlighted the aircraft’s stealth capabilities, and that the plane is practically impossible to detect when using conventional detection methods like radar. It is not known when the aircraft will enter into full use in the Air Force.
This release marks the first new American bomber aircraft in over 30 years. Most of the program’s details still remain classified. Northrop Grumman and the Air Force have taken extensive measures to protect any info about the specifications of the aircraft leaking, aiming to prevent China from accessing and replicating the technology. China has done this multiple times. In the past, it reverse-engineered other US advanced weapons like the F-35 fighter jet.
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