The B-21 Raider: A Marvel Of Digital Development
Risk reduction is vital in the development of this new Air Force bomber. Northrop Grumman is driving risk out of the program with digital capabilities throughout design, build, prototype, and test.
By Barry Rosenberg on May 05, 2021 at 3:30 PM
The B-21 Raider, the Air Force’s new bomber now in development, will have as much in common with its Cold War-era predecessors B-1/B-2/B-52 bombers as the F-35 Lightning II has in common with its World War II-era predecessor P-38 Lightning.
For example, the B-21 represents a significant step forward over the 30-year-old B-2 Spirit, as the B-21 is being designed by Northrop Grumman (who also built the B-2) to survive against the most advanced modern air defense systems such as Russia’s S-400 surface-to-air missile system and China’s J-20 stealth fighter, which entered service in 2017.
The B-21 will be a marvel of contemporary manufacturing that takes advantage of the latest digital capabilities to improve design, manufacturing, and support. Digital development is a new direction in procurement for the Air Force and the Defense Department writ large.
https://breakingdefense.com/2021/05/the-b-21-raider-a-marvel-of-digital-development/
