B-21 Raider: The Right Strategic Bomber For A New Age Of Air Warfare

[rangerrebew]

B-21 Raider: The Right Strategic Bomber For A New Age Of Air Warfare
.By Dan Gouré
 

The Air Force has announced that the unveiling of its new strategic bomber, the B-21 Raider, will take place on December 2. This program is an industry-government success story: so far, the program is on time and on budget. Part of the reason for its success is that the B-21 is, in many respects, a logical evolutionary step from what has come before.

B-21 Raider: Something Special
The design itself and many of the major systems are advanced but not revolutionary. The real advances have been made in avionics, electronic systems, stealth features, and weapons that will enable the Raider to operate in intense anti-air environments. The B-21 will also benefit from the industry’s development of open systems architectures that permit rapid and continuous upgrading of systems and software to improve performance.

It is remarkable, given the history of schedule slippages and cost overruns in major defense programs, that the B-21 is on schedule and on budget. The program began in 2015; seven years later, Northrop-Grumman is rolling out the first aircraft. This makes it the Department of Defense’s (DoD) most successful rapid acquisition program.

Technical Readiness

https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2022/11/25/b-21_raider_the_right_strategic_bomber_for_a_new_age_of_air_warfare_866728.html

[rangerrebew]

To me, it seems the bomber is the Air Force equivalent of the Navy Aircraft Carrier.  Ideal dealing with conflicts against small nations with small militaries and limited weaponry, but a sitting (flying) duck against major militaries.

[EdinVA]

I wonder how much of the software/hardware is coming from china.....

[SZonian]

"This program is an industry-government success story: so far, the program is on time and on budget."

"Facts" not in evidence...the "industry" as a whole is suffering from attrition, retention, but most importantly, lack of technical skills. 

There simply are not enough skilled technicians to go around.  This makes it extremely difficult to get parts made, assemblies put together and final checkouts accomplished in a timely manner.

So unless/until the costs, budget and schedule are fully released, I'm calling BS.

[Idiot]

I can't wait to see them flying in my backyard.  Hopefully the B-1's will hang around awhile, as they are just incredible to watch, especially when they fire up the afterburners.