U.S. Air Force Shows Northrop Grumman's New B-21 Design

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The United States Air Force released new pictures and design details for Northrop Grumman’s B-21 Raider. 

The new image of the B-21 shows the aircraft’s L-shaped inlets that resemble sideways teardrops and have a right angle at about a third of the inlet’s length. It also shows a round inboard section to consume the boundary layer of air over the wing’s leading edge. 

The aircraft features two indentations above the engine nacelles on both sides of the aft fuselage. The wings and fuselage contain stenciled markings, and Northrop Grumman’s advanced projects division symbol is on the right wing. 

Northrop Grumman’s initial unveiling in December 2022 concealed the inlets, and the company has yet to reveal the aircraft’s aft section as well as the quantity and identity of the engines. 

According to the Air Force, the bomber’s development is on schedule and expected to begin flight tests in 2023. However, the assistant secretary for acquisition, technology, and logistics, Andrew Hunter, said, “It will fly when it is ready.”

Northrop Grumman said the sixth-generation aircraft features information advantage, open architecture, and stealth capabilities. The aerospace and defense company added that the B-21 would possess long-range precision strike capabilities, be supported by a digital ecosystem throughout its lifecycle, and could network across the battlespace to various systems and into all domains. 

According to design requirements, the B-21 can deliver munitions from conventional to nuclear. It's the first bomber introduced since the conclusion of the Cold War, and its fleet could reach at least 100 aircraft with an average procurement unit cost requirement of $692 million.