Washington, Dec. 3 (BNA) Northrop Grumman Corp. (NOC.N) on Friday introduced its new B-21 Raider, the first of a new fleet of long-range nuclear bombers for the US Air Defense Forces.
The B-21 was unveiled during a dramatic ceremony at Northrop’s Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, offering members of the public their first look at the new bomber, Reuters reports.
The B-21, which has a similar “flying wing” configuration to its predecessor, the B-2, will be able to deliver conventional and nuclear weapons around the world using long-range and mid-air refueling capabilities.
The aircraft were expected to cost about $550 million each in 2010 dollars, or about $750 million in inflation-adjusted dollars today.
The Air Force planned to purchase at least 100 aircraft and begin replacing the B-1 and B-2 bombers.
Northrop beat out a team consisting of Boeing Co. (BA.N.) and Lockheed Martin Co. (LMT.N.) when it won the 2015 contract to build the bomber. Engine maker Pratt & Whitney (RTX.N), Collins Aerospace, GKN Aerospace, BAE Systems (BAES.L), and Spirit Aerosystems (SPR.N) are among the more than 400 suppliers in 40 states.
Northrop calls the aircraft the sixth generation because of its ability to communicate with other aircraft and seamlessly integrate future weapons into its systems architecture.
The B-21 also features low observable surface materials that are more durable, enable stealth, require less maintenance, and keep operating costs and downtime to a minimum, Doug Young, sector vice president and general manager, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, told Reuters in a statement. an interview.
The show presented the first video and photos of the new bomber. Previously, only artists’ performances were published.
Six of the planes, which are scheduled to make their first flight in mid-2023, are in various stages of assembly. More than 8,000 people from Northrop Grumman, industry partners and the Air Force currently work in the program.
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