The latest American "strategist" B-21 Raider will fly in December 2021 of the year
The newest strategic bomber B-21 Raider is being developed in the interests of the US Air Force since 2015, when Northrop Grumman received a contract to create it. Two years later, in the spring of 2017, it was announced the completion of the outline design of the aircraft, after which the stage of creating flight samples began. It is emphasized that, starting from the first flight model, the aircraft will receive systems and software for delivering nuclear strikes. However, in the first few years of service, aircraft will not be certified for the transportation and use of strategic weapons.
As the Deputy Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, General Stephen Wilson, stated, the first flight of a promising bomber will take place at Edwards Air Force Base in California in early December 2021.
The new bomber was created according to the "flying wing" scheme. Its exact dimensions have not yet been disclosed, but it is known that it will be smaller than the American "strategist" V-2 and larger than the deck drone project UCLASS, the length / wingspan of which is 21 / 52,4 and 11,6 / 18,9 meters, respectively.
The United States Air Force Command expects the first B-21 Raider bombers to go into service in the middle of the 2020's. According to the available information, it is planned to purchase at least one hundred new aircraft, which should gradually replace the outdated strategic bombers B-52 Stratofortress and B-2 Spirit.
The first B-21 Raider will serve at Ellsworth Air Base in South Dakota.
- Northrop Grumman
Information