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Northrop Grumman's new bomber, the B-21 Raider, is being showcased today by the U.S. Air Force*. While it looks very much like the B-2 Spirit, this bomber is in a class by itself. Coming 30 years after the B-2, it incorporates vast improvements in nearly every aspect of its design, from materials to computers.
And the bomber was designed for maximum upgrade flexibility. Quoting from the link below:
"The B-21 has been built with long-term sustainability and maintainability in mind, Northrop Grumman said in the release. It has also been designed to be rapidly upgraded when future threats demand it – a process that can often be slowed down by bureaucratic red tape and delayed timelines when it comes to older military aircraft and vehicles.
The bomber won’t undergo “block upgrades,” according to Northrop Grumman, which is a method of periodically upgrading parts of a system. Instead, the company said new “technology, capabilities and weapons will be seamlessly incorporated” through software upgrades.
“This will ensure the B-21 Raider can continuously meet the evolving threat head on for decades to come,” the company said. "
end quote
This bomber's addition to Western forces, and it democratic allies around the world, will provide a significant upgrade for their long-standing commitment to deterrence rather than confrontation. Such stealthy assets are among the best strategic defenses. Doolittle's Raiders of WWII fame, after whom the bombers are named, would doubtless agree.
"Air Force set to unveil newest stealth bomber aircraft Friday "
* https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/02/polit...rce/index.html
