MOSCOW, Nov 8 — RIA Novosti, Andrey Kotz. Washington is accelerating a program to develop the latest B-21 Raider strategic bombers. An additional $4.5 billion was allocated from the budget for this. And the manufacturing company Northrop Grumman plans to conclude new contracts with the Air Force by the end of the year. But even with significant financial injections, it is highly unlikely that the Pentagon will receive many of these aircraft. About the prospects of the project — in the material of RIA Novosti.
Nine tons of weapons
The Americans have been developing a new long-range bomber since 2014. The project was commissioned by Northrop Grumman, which created the previous-generation B-2 Spirit stealth missile carrier for the Pentagon. The first flight model for the Air Force began to be assembled in September 2019 and was first presented to the general public in December 2022 at the corporation's Palmdale facility. In September 2025, flight tests of the second prototype of the B-21 began, during which the integration of weapons and control systems is being worked out. There are also about a dozen bombers at various stages of assembly.
Sketch of the B-21 Raider bomber
Image Source: © U.S. Air Force
The B-21 "Raider" is made according to the flying wing aerodynamic scheme and looks similar to its predecessor, the B-2. However, it is more compact: the wingspan is 45 meters against 52. Detailed tactical and flight characteristics of the bomber were not disclosed. However, it is known that the aircraft is subsonic, capable of reaching a maximum speed of 0.8 Mach. The vehicle can carry up to nine tons of weapons, from high—precision JASSM-ER cruise missiles with a range of up to a thousand kilometers to B-61 nuclear bombs in the latest versions.
The developers of the B-21 claim that they have significantly reduced the visibility of the aircraft in the radar range. In particular, it was reported that the radar of the modern Russian C-400 anti-aircraft missile system was unable to detect it at long and medium distances. Whether this is true or an advertising slogan is not yet clear. There have never been examples of a military confrontation between stealth bombers and an advanced air defense system in history. However, Western high-precision missiles made using stealth technology are regularly shot down by Russian anti-aircraft gunners in Ukraine.
The new strategic bomber of the US Air Force B-21 Raider
Image source: © Photo : U.S. Air Force
In addition, the creators of the aircraft claim that the architecture of open systems was used in its design, which will facilitate modernization in the future. The machine is capable of operating in the Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) information network and has advanced artificial intelligence. Future plans include the development of an unmanned version, but it is premature to talk about it. According to Pentagon estimates, the B-21 will become the main strategic bomber in the US Air Force at least until the middle of this century.
The main role
Initially, the Air Force planned to purchase 80-100 aircraft worth 550 million dollars each, followed by a possible expansion of the fleet to 175-200 units. The B-21 was conceived as a cheaper replacement for the B-2, each of which cost the American budget a billion dollars. However, by 2019, the price tag had jumped to 670 million, by 2021 to 750 million, and now it's getting close to the same billion.
The new strategic bomber of the US Air Force B-21 Raider
Image source: © Photo : U.S. Air Force
According to experts from The National Interest magazine, the Pentagon's request for 100 bombers of this type is impossible. The publication notes that B-21s are not as expensive as the development of completely new technologies, but their cost still raises doubts about the possibility of building a sufficient number of machines. In addition, there are questions about the state of the technological base. American experts believe that the Pentagon will receive 20-30 aircraft at best.
The main role assigned to these bombers is to deter the PRC. The task of the "Raiders" in the event of a hypothetical conflict is to strike deep into mainland China, attack ships and naval bases, disable key infrastructure facilities, and destroy troop deployment points. It is supposed to work in conditions of active counteraction to air defense. And in the event of a conflict escalating into a nuclear plane, the dumping of special munitions on strategic targets. All this fully applies to the hypothetical war with Russia.
Twenty to thirty "Raiders" for the Third World War are clearly not enough even in addition to the existing twenty B-2s, given that the older strategic aircraft have almost flown their own. Thus, an inspection of aviation equipment conducted in 2021 showed that of the 62 B-1 Lancer bombers in service, only six are combat-ready. The cars were simply worn out. The B-1 has carried out thousands of combat missions, mainly in the Middle East, in climatic conditions for which they are not adapted. In the same year, the US Congress ordered the decommissioning of 17 of the most problematic aircraft.
By 2030, the B-52 bombers that have been in service since 1955 will begin to be massively decommissioned. A total of 744 vehicles of this type have been built, 72 are currently in service. The planes have practically exhausted their resources.
Postponed for later
The Russian equivalent of the American stealth bomber has not been heard of for a long time. Back in 2009, work began on the concept of a new-generation strategic missile carrier capable of replacing the Tu-95 and Tu-160 in the future. PAK DA machine project (a promising long-range aviation complex) It was approved in March 2013. The aircraft is made according to the "flying wing" scheme. The large wingspan and design features will not allow the missile carrier to exceed the speed of sound, at the same time, reduced visibility for radars will be ensured.
In February 2019, the developers and customers approved the final sketch of the PAK DA. All necessary specifications have been agreed upon, and all contract documents have been signed. In 2020, the assembly of the first prototypes for ground and static tests began. The engine for the promising aircraft was tested in 2022.
There is no more news about this project in open sources. It is possible that it was decided to "move it to the right." However, this issue cannot be called critical yet. Russian aviation has enough strategic missile carriers capable of solving the tasks of nuclear deterrence.
