Northrop Grumman B-21A Raider is an American heavy bomber under development by Northrop Grumman. As part of the Long Range Strike Bomber program (LRS-B), it is to be a very long-range, stealth strategic bomber for the United States Air Force capable of delivering conventional and thermonuclear weapons.
The bomber is expected to enter service by 2025.
The aircraft are built at Plant 42 Palmdale , California.
B-21A RaIder Unveil 02/12/2022, First Flight expected in 2023.
The B-21 Raider made its maiden flight on the 10th November 2023, On the 17th January 2024 the B-21 flew its second publicly acknowledged test flight from Edwards Air Force Base. By September 2024, three test aircraft were in service: one performing one or two flight tests per week, and the others involved in ground tests.
\ AirForce Delivery Date:
G-1 / Ground Testing Aircraft designated G-1
G-2 / Ground Testing Aircraft designated G-1
T-1 / 00001 / ED 0001 Roll- out 02/12/2022 \ First Official Flight: **10/11/2023 Palmdale to Edwards** Aircraft Name: Cerberus
T-2 / 00002 / Unmarked First Official Flight: ** 11/09/2025 Palmdale to Edwards**
T-3 / 00003 /
T-4 / 00004 /
T-5 / 00005 /
T-6 / 00006 /
420th Flight Test Squadron, Detachment 5 of the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center (AFOTEC), and a team from Northrop Grumman.
Callsigns: Rocky 11
Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC)
412th Test Wing, Edwards Air Force Base, California
420th Flight Test Squadron
Air Force Globel Strike Command (AFGSC)
7th Bomb Wing, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas
28th Bomb Wing, Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota
509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri
B-21 Raider Specifications (Suspected)
Crew: 2
Length: 54 ft (16 m)
Wingspan: 145–155 ft (44–47 m)
Empty weight: 70,000 lb (31,751 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 180,000 lb (81,647 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney PW9000 non-afterburning turbofans, 27,000 lbf (120 kN) thrust each
Performance
Maximum speed: Mach 0.8+ : 850 km\h
Service ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,000 m)
Armament
Hardpoints: 1 × main weapons bay with a capacity of 20,000 lb (9,100 kg) weapon load
Missiles: AGM-181 LRSO
Bombs: JDAM family of munitions
AGM-181 Long Range Stand Off Weapon (LRSO)
iAGM-181 is a nuclear-armed air-launched cruise missile under development by Raytheon Technologies that will replace the AGM-86 ALCM. Unlike the AGM-86, which is solely carried by the B-52, the LRSO will be carried on multiple aircraft. The LRSO program is to develop a weapon that can penetrate and survive integrated air defense systems and prosecute strategic targets. The weapons are required to reach initial operational capability (IOC) before the retirement of their respective ALCM versions, around 2030.
B61 Mod 12 nuclear glide bomb.
B61 Mod 13 nuclear bunker buster.
AGM-158B JASSM-ER (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile Extended Range).