Northrop Grumman is ready to unveil the B-21 Raider nuclear bomber - what is known about the first-ever sixth-generation aircraft

This week we will see the unveiling of the first American strategic bomber in more than 30 years that can carry nuclear weapons. We are talking about the B-21 Raider, which will be presented on December 2 at the Northrop Grumman plant in Palmdale.

Here's What We Know

The B-21 Raider was named the nuclear bomber six years ago in honor of the pilots who took part in the Doolittle raid during World War II. Although it was originally assumed that the aircraft would be called the B-3. It makes sense, because its predecessors are the B-1 Lancer and B-2 Spirit.

Of course, nobody will reveal all the features of the plane before the presentation. What's more, it's not certain that Northrop Grumman will be generous with details on December 2 either. However, a little veil of secrecy lifted company spokesman Tom Jones, who serves as president of the division Aeronautics Systems.

During a conversation with Defense News, Jones noted that the use of a number of modern technologies allows us to call the B-21 Raider the sixth generation aircraft. In particular, the question is about the integration of technology Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2). It was developed by the U.S. Department of Defense to combine data from all branches of the armed forces into a single network. JADC2 is based on artificial intelligence algorithms. The platform includes data from the Air Force, U.S. Army, Marine Corps, Space Force and Navy.

What makes the B-21 Raider special is that Northrop Grumman had already prepared a production model of the nuclear bomber, not a test model. This was a requirement of the United States Air Force, as the service believes that "skipping" the experimental model and producing a production model would speed up procurement and reduce risks.

Northrop Grumman will conduct a series of tests of the bomber in 2023. The first flight of the B-21 Raider will make a few months after the presentation, presumably in the spring of 2023. But first the plane will pass tests to make sure it is ready for takeoff.

The exact date of the first flight has not yet been specified. Perhaps it will be announced on December 2. But it is known that the Raider on the first flight will go to the U.S. Air Force base "Edwards" in California, where later the rest of the flight tests will take place.

Source: Defense News