(FiveNation.com)- The US Air Force will be unveiling its new generation of stealth bombers this week.
The B-21 Raider is expected to be ready for its first flight by early next year.
Designed by Northrop Grumman, the B-21 will gradually replace the current stealth bombers in service, the B-1 and B-2.
The B-2 stealth bomber, also designed by Northrop, made its first official flight in 1989 during the Cold War.
According to Northrop Vice President Doug Young, the B-21 Raider is “the most advanced military aircraft ever built” and “a product of pioneering innovation and technological excellence.”
Six B-21 bombers are being constructed at a facility in Palmdale California with the cost per plane at $2 billion.
Its designer said the new stealth bomber will deliver “long range, high survivability, and mission payload flexibility.”
Northrop describes the B-21 as a “digital bomber,” capable of using agile technology and cloud computing for faster and more flexible communication.
General CQ Brown Jr, the Air Force’s chief of staff described the unveiling of the B-21 raider as “a historic moment for our Air Force and the nation.”
The B-21’s nickname “Raider” is a shout-out to an important mission in US military history, the 1942 Doolittle Raid.
The Doolittle Raid, led by Lt. Col. James Doolittle, was a volunteer force of bombers that set out on the first offensive against Toyko and the Japanese Islands during the Second World War.
While all of Doolittle’s planes were destroyed during the 1942 bombing run, eventually he was awarded the Medal of Honor and promoted to brigadier general when he returned to the United States.
According to Northrop, it was the “courageous spirit of the Doolittle Raiders” that was the inspiration behind the B-21’s name.
The great unveiling of the B-21 Raider was scheduled for Friday, December 2. The six planes will begin operations in early 2023.
