B-21 Raider
OEM: Northrop Grumman
First Produced: 2022
Status: Active
Role: Strategic stealth bomber
Primary Operator: U.S. Air Force (entering service)
OEM Website: northropgrumman.com
The B-21 Raider is a long-range, very-low-observable strategic bomber under development by Northrop Grumman. It was unveiled in December 2022 at Palmdale, California and completed its first flight in 2023. The aircraft is intended to replace both the B-1B Lancer and B-2 Spirit fleets over time.
A minimum of 100 aircraft is planned, with Ellsworth AFB selected as the first main operating base. Open-systems architecture and attention to manufacturability are intended to allow rapid capability insertion over the aircraft's multi-decade life.
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