US begins production of 'stealth killer' bomber

The US announced that it has begun production of the B-21 Raider stealth bomber, two months after the aircraft first flew.

"Based on the results of ground and air tests and the development team's plans, I have authorized the start of small-volume production of the B-21 Raider bomber," William LaPlante, US Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, said on January 23.

Mr. LaPlante did not disclose specific details about the B-21 bomber production contract, such as the contract value, expected production or completion date. Northrop Grumman, the company that develops the B-21 Raider, confirmed on the same day that the aircraft model has begun production in limited numbers.

"We were awarded the contract after the B-21 series performed its first test flight as scheduled and met the standards to be put into production," said a representative of the US weapons manufacturer.

The B-21 Raider, also known as the "stealth killer", has been in development by Northrop Grumman since 2015 and was first unveiled in late 2022. This is the first bomber model launched by the US since the 1980s, when the B-2 Spirit line was put into service. The manufacturer claims this is " the world's first true 6th generation stealth bomber".

B-21 bomber during a test flight in California, USA in November 2023. Photo: Drive

"The development of stealth technology over the past 50 years will be crystallized in this aircraft," US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said at the B-21 Raider's launch ceremony in December 2022. "Even the most modern air defense systems will have a hard time detecting it."

The US's "stealth killer" first flew last November, after a long delay due to various reasons, including the impact of Covid-19. Last week, this bomber model made its second public test flight.

The US Air Force plans to order about 100 B-21 Raiders, to replace the B-1B Lancer and B-2 Spirit strategic bombers in the next few decades. Each B-21 has a factory price of nearly 700 million USD, not including research and production costs, while the entire project is worth about 203 billion USD. According to the plan, the B-21 model will be put into service in the US Air Force in the next two years.

Pham Giang (According to Business Insider, Drive )

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