"Begins to look like an airplane": the US Air Force announced progress in the creation of the B-21 Raider

Rendering from the USAF

The US Air Force announced the progress that Northrop Grumman has made in building the first prototype B-21 Raider stealth bomber.

The first test plane is under construction and it starts to look like an airplane

- said Randy Walden, who is responsible for the implementation of this program, indicating that the machine is expected to be ready for its maiden flight by the end of next year.

At the same time, there are certain concerns about adherence to the specified deadlines. According to him, parts for the plane come from all over the country, so there are some unpleasant "surprises".

But overall, the B-21 Raider project is going well.

Photo The Drive

As explained by General Timothy Ray, head of the Air Force Global Strike Command, he is confident that the implementation of the B-21 program will preserve the possibility of delivering a "long-range strike" aviation U.S.A. It is expected that the transfer of the Raider to the troops will begin in the coming years.

We look forward to delivering the B-21 Raider to bases in the mid-2020s.

- declared the general.

Northrop Grumman has been developing a new bomber for about five years. However, until now, only the concept art of the aircraft and one graphic drawing have been presented to the public.

Comments

[antivirus]

Can you attach it to aircraft carriers? or only takes off from ground bases?

- if not working from an aircraft carrier - bad
7x70 tons of VI - our everything and theirs too.

[Bashkirkhan]

Quote: antivirus

if it doesn't work from an aircraft carrier, it's bad

Tu-160 is bad, it only flies from the airfield.

[antivirus]

and Tu95 is bad ............. and my bike from an aircraft carrier will not take off or float

[Bashkirkhan]

Quote: antivirus

my bike from an aircraft carrier will not take off or float

From an American aircraft carrier, a bicycle can easily take off and float. And not only a bicycle, you can also use a car. Only to the catapult you need to pick it up. For overclocking.

[Insurgent]

Quote: Bashkirkhan

From an American aircraft carrier, a bicycle can easily take off and float. And not only a bicycle, you can also use a car. Only to the catapult you need to pick it up. For overclocking.

And sit down?

[antivirus]

and after all, 30-40 years ago, they watched such nonsense and rejoiced: they went there, they shot, they shoot back ... what an interesting life

[Bashkirkhan]

Quote: antivirus

after all, 30-40 years ago, they watched such nonsense and rejoiced: they went there, they shot, back, they shoot ...

After decades of listening to radio stations, of course, they rejoiced in color action films on VCR cassettes.

[Insurgent]

Quote: Bashkirkhan

After decades of listening to radio stations, of course, they rejoiced in color action films on VCR cassettes.

Actually, the film was in the Soviet film distribution

[Bad_gr]

Quote: Bashkirkhan

From an American aircraft carrier, a bicycle can easily take off and float.

I know the guys who attached gunpowder boosters from a fighter to the old Zaporozhets. It was launched at the airfield, but without a driver, and judging by their story, it was much more colorful than launching a cart from an aircraft carrier.

[rocket757]

The more fantastic, the more interesting ... although the product already flies according to this scheme.

[Insurgent]

Quote: rocket757

The more fantastic, the more interesting ... although the product already flies according to this scheme.

And it wasn't the Americans who were the first to fly reactive an airplane made according to the aerodynamic scheme of the classic "tailless flying wing".

[rocket757]

It doesn't matter anymore, they develop / implement this idea.

[vVvAD]

Well, judging by the photo, progress is evident: the 3D model was inserted into the photo of a real hangar

[rocket757]

They know how, they know how to let the dust in your eyes!
Who will understand there, except for experts, shopped there or a natural model ...

[Prisoner]

In general, it never looks like an airplane. Fish of some kind.

[rocket757]

The stingray is also a fish, peculiar.

[Prisoner]

A few days ago I read an article on VO about the "flying wing" scheme and its shortcomings in terms of maneuverability. Apparently our Western "partners" continue to "spit" from the high tower on this characteristic of the aircraft.

[Thunderbolt]

The bomber does not need maneuverability.

[rocket757]

True, not a single real bomber is particularly maneuverable ...

[Prisoner]

If by maneuverability we mean the ability to perform aerobatics, then yes, but if we proceed from the general definition of maneuverability, then a clumsy carcass flying, even at great speed at high altitude, is a tidbit for air defense systems.

[rocket757]

Quote: Captive

tidbit for air defense systems.

What is the trend now?
Where there is air defense, do not enter its zone of action, but "cut through, level" everything from a distance, using accessible, specialized means.
A large bomber is just a mobile platform for the delivery of a large number of specialized equipment, for the effective defeat distance required for their use ... and this is hundreds, thousands of kilometers! from the same air defense ... except, again, the mobile! that there is aviation included in the air defense structure.
Now everything is complex ... although it was not started to be implemented yesterday, a little earlier.

[Prisoner]

Well, you don't need it, you don't need it. The kingdom of heaven to them, and air defense officers of the order on the chest and other nishtyaks.

[dzvero]

For heavy subsonic bombers (both the B-21 and the planned Russian one), the lack of super-maneuverability is not critical. Anti-missile maneuvers are not their lot. The main tasks are to go unnoticed to the launch area of ​​the missile defense system outside the air defense zone or carry out bombing (with conventional or nuclear bombs) if the enemy's air defense is already suppressed. The flying wing is just suitable for this.

[Pete mitchell]

Quote: Captive

A few days ago I read an article on VO about the "flying wing ...

The author of that article should have read about John Northrop at least in the wiki, maybe the article would have been different

[Thrifty]

If they make an airplane, so has it looked like nothing to this day? Was it sculpted from the composite? ??

[aszzz888]

According to him, parts for the plane come from all over the country, so there are some unpleasant "surprises".

The strikes are making themselves felt to the campaign, and now at the Merikatos.

[APASUS]

They will again create a super bomb launcher at a cosmic price. Think a little and postpone the purchase, everyone is happy

[rotmistr60]

so far, only the concept art of the aircraft and one graphic drawing have been presented to the public

In five years, how much money have you already spent? And at the same time, there are still those on the site who pray for American weapons and constantly criticize Russian weapons.