Air Force reveals new pictures of its classified $600 million B-21 Raider stealth bomber which is set to enter service in next five years
The US Air Force has unveiled a new artist rendering image of its top-secret B-21 Raider stealth bomber.
The bomber, which will be able to carry nuclear weapons, will cost the military more than $600 million per plane, and more than 100 of them are on order.
It is expected to enter service in the next five years, but the Air Force has kept most details firmly under wraps.
The release shows the Northrop Grumman built plane with a sleeker profile than its larger predecessor, the B-2 Spirit, according to Military.com.
Unlike previous concepts of the bomber, which were released in 2020, this image has a more defined beak at the front and a slanted window for the main cockpit windows.
The larger B-2 has four windows that go around the front of the cockpit.
The image also shows the bomber taking off from Edwards Air Force Base in California, where it is expected to receive testing in the coming years.
The US Air Force unveiled a new artist rendering image of its B-21 Raider stealth bomber, one that will cost the military more than $600 million per plane.
The classified plane is still under development by the military and is part of the Long Range Strike Bomber program (LRS-B).
It is expected to be in service by 2026 or 2027 and will complement the B-2 Spirit, as well as the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bomber fleets, before eventually replacing both of them.
'Nuclear modernization is a top priority for the Department of Defense and the Air Force, and B-21 is key to that plan,' said Randall Walden, Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office director, in a statement.
The image also shows the bomber taking off from Edwards Air Force Base in California, where it is expected to receive testing in the coming years
'The built-in feature of open systems architecture on the B-21 makes the bomber effective as the threat environment evolves. This aircraft design approach sets the nation on the right path to ensuring America's enduring airpower capability.'
All of the officially released pictures so far are artistic renderings - not official pictures of the top secret jet have yet been released.
The first official rendering of the B-21 Raider was released in 2016, but only showed its basic shape.
Renderings released in 2020 showed how the B-21 Raider would appear in hangars at various US bases, but again were light on detail.
The latest image shows more detail of the cockpit design and nose section.
The Raider is named after the Doolittle Raiders - U.S. Army Air Force men who conducted a famous surprise attack against Japan on April 18, 1942 during World War II.
The B-21 Raider will be able to carry nuclear bombs, but will also be able to 'employ a broad mix of stand-off and direct-attack munitions,' according to the latest fact sheet from the Air Force.
The first official piece of concept art of the B-21 Raider was released in 2016, but only showed its basic shape
Previous released publicity shots from 2020 show renderings of how the B-21 Raider would appear in hangars at various US bases - here at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri
Previous released publicity shots from 2020 show renderings of how the B-21 Raider would appear in hangars at various US bases - here at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota
The B-21 Raider will join the B-2 Spirit (pictured) as part of the US Air Force's fleet, before eventually replacing it
According to the US Air Force's latest fact sheet, the B-21 cost has an average cost of $639 million, or $673 million to account for inflation.
Richard Aboulafia, vice president and analyst at the Teal Group, told Military.com 'there's always been a degree of doubt about [the final cost of the planes],' adding those figures are just for the purchase price and not ancillary items
The B-21 Raider force will be located at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, and Dyess Air Force Base in Texas, according to the fact sheet.
It will have a two-person crew, but also be capable of uncrewed operation, according to Popular Mechanics.
The Air Force will buy at least 100 of the B-21 Raiders to replace the aging fleet of B-2s and B-1s, but some officials expect the fleet will be comprised of 220 bombers - 75 B-52s and 145 B-21s.
