The First Two B-21 Bombers Are Nearly Complete—and the Air Force Already Wants More of 'Em

Popular Mechanics via Yahoo ^ | June 10th, 2021 | Kyle Mizokami

[Mariner]

The U.S. Air Force's (USAF) bomber program, designed to field a replacement for the B-1 Lancer and B-2 Spirit by the late 2020s, is on track. That's a rarity in the world of military hardware procurement. Still, Congress is calling on the service to accelerate the program; USAF isn't budging.

"Once we get through design and get the first ones delivered, we can adjust production rates and maybe affect them that way, but we have to get through the engineering with solid discipline," Air Force acting acquisition executive Darlene Costello said during a House Armed Services panel on June 8.

One major reason the Air Force doesn't want to speed up the B-21 program is that, while the bombers are almost mechanically complete, the service has not yet solidified the overall design for the larger fleet. The service is concerned that speeding things up could introduce concurrency issues.

[Magnum44]

Ok, frequency hopping I am familiar with. Thanks.

[noiseman]

While not invisible, you have to get eyes on it to shoot at it with cannon.

One misconception about stealth technology is the belief that an aircraft has to be completely invisible to radar to be effective. This is a criticism often tossed at the F-35, because it isn’t as stealthy as the F-22. However, all that really matters is that an aircraft is stealthy enough, in the right frequency bands, that anti-aircraft fire control radars can’t lock on. It doesn’t matter if the enemy can see stealth aircraft if they can’t shoot at them.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

In order to reach a future fleet of 225 bombers, the service would need 149 B-21 Raider bombers.

I think the odds of 149 brand new state-of-the-art bombers being built are somewhere between hardly any and none at all. Most of the USAF's bombers are B-52s built 70 years ago. Next most common are B1 bombers built 50 years ago, and third most common are the B2 bombers built in the '90s. The trend is clear. There are 20 B2s in service. The Air Force will be lucky to get 10 of these new bombers.

[Celtic Conservative]

Most agencies are going to laser detectors.

CC

[43north]

Will it come in rainbow colors or just basic black?

[drypowder]

One can bet Biden will make sure China and Russia get the blue prints, if they don’t already have them.

[PapaBear3625]

If the regular radars get your position close enough to launch, and the missile has a radar able to fine-tune your location once it gets close, then you’re in trouble.

There’s also laser-radar
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lidar

[PIF]

Old report - the later USAF release says they are still in production; all the armament, specifications and capability claims in PS are BS - as no one knows what they are or will be - its till classified.
See here:
Air Force Corrects Top Official’s Statement On B-21 Bomber Progress (**Updated**)
The first two examples of the advanced stealth bomber design are set to undergo ground testing before their planned first flight next year.
By Thomas Newdick June 9, 2021

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/41007/the-first-two-b-21-stealth-bombers-are-now-ready-for-testing

Update: After this story was published, the Air Force corrected the remarks that Darlene Costello, the Air Force’s Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology & Logistics, had made at the hearing on June 8 regarding the status of the two B-21 Raider stealth bomber prototypes now under construction. Contrary to Costello’s earlier comments, the service says that the two aircraft remain “in production.”

[srmanuel]

Who says it’s a missile what if it’s several dozen independently targeted drones equipped with AI all capable of a 100-300 mile range, the B-21 could fly in international airspace undetected and release the drones to take out all the coastal air defenses systems. Just saying

[JudgemAll]

We need these bad, to carry AIM-260 air to air missiles. China right now has us beat bad. Any victory currently would be pyhrric for the US. They have a 500 mi anti awacs missile and ability to overwhelm with cruise missiles and ballistic missiles. Only the F15 E and EX are somewhat capable agains such swarms, and only the tired few raptors can sneak against the their Awac missile.

Also the sniffing platforms need upgrades and we have too few of them. The B-21 could become a good sniffing platform helper able to avoid threats.

[JudgemAll]

Yep, comes up as banana blips. Need much more precision to shoot something than banana blip returns.

[Fred Hayek]

At one point USAF were using radar detectors from automotive part stores to warn if an enemy had a radar fix on them.

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

A cannon?

At these speeds and distances an anti aircraft cannon would need to be radar aimed. Same with aircraft guns.

Thermal is out too I believe.

[zeestephen]

Re: "by the time it is done, they'll have to rename it the B22."

B-23...by the time we get done paying for it.

[llevrok]

If I may suggest

The problem is the enemies are behind the wire.and in the White House

[Secret Agent Man]

I like its more advanced

Not as great its payload is less

[llevrok]

I like the original better, although the new model is way more technologically advanced.

I was in Boston for the Fourth of July 15 or so years ago. We were walking around when the sky went dark as a B-2 passed quietly overhead, close to minimums. I can only imagine the "shadow" the B21 will cast!

[gundog]

Homouflaged.

[Yo-Yo]

Ok, frequency hopping I am familiar with. Thanks.

So is Hedy Lamarr.

[Magnum44]