US to scrap B-2 Spirit bombers that hit Iran nuclear sites | All about next-gen B-21 Raiders

The B-2 Spirit bomber has been the backbone of the US military’s long-range strike force for decades. But the US Air Force is now preparing to retire its fifth-generation stealth bomber.

First flown in 1989 and operationally deployed in 1999 during the Kosovo War, the flying wing has served in various conflicts across the globe.

The stealth bomber’s most recent sortie was during the Iran-Israel conflict. It carried the 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator to destroy Tehran’s nuclear facilities.

Though the B-2 Spirit makes up for 30% of the US Air Force's stealth bomber fleet, Washington believes that the fifth-generation bomber has run its strategic course.

That’s why the American military is replacing its older flying wing with a far more advanced and high-tech bomber—the B-21 Raider. And the US Air Force has set a deadline. It hopes to induct a few, if not all, of the advanced stealth bombers by 2030, when its predecessor, the B-2 Spirit, will be decommissioned phase-wise.

Though the B-21 Raider fairly resembles the B-2 Spirit in the flying wing design, the two bombers differ substantially in technology, range and operational flexibility.

The B-2 Spirit bomber remains the benchmark for stealth, but it is equipped with decades-old technologies. On the other hand, its successor, the B-21 Raider, possesses advanced stealth capabilities.

The 6th generation bomber is decked with superior composite materials to minimise radar signature. It also incorporates heat dissipation techniques to reduce its infrared signature.

This means that the B-21 Raider can penetrate any air defence undetected, by effortlessly evading low-frequency radars. The B-21 Raider is smaller than the B-2, in both wingspan and overall dimensions. Its smaller size elevates the B-21’s stealth profile and allows it to operate from a wider range of airfields.

Due to its smaller size, the B-21 can carry a payload of around 20,000 pounds, half the capacity of the B-2. But the B-21’s operational range can match, if not surpass, the B-2’s unrefuelled range of 11,100 kms, according to former US Defence Secretary, Lloyd Austin.

The longer unrefuelled range allows the B-21 to carry out intercontinental missions, enabling the US Air Force to maintain air superiority. Like the B-2 Spirit, the B-21 Raider can also carry both nuclear and conventional munitions, providing strategic flexibility.

The aircraft also includes a sophisticated electronic warfare suite, with radar, decoys, jamming systems, and signal analysis capabilities. The B-21 Raider is designed to be flown by a crew of two.

But it can also be operated autonomously with the help of artificial intelligence. Despite having the capacity to operate unmanned, the US Air Force has indicated that this capability may not be implemented immediately upon the aircraft's entry into service.

Like the B-2 Spirit, the B-21 bomber also features common household amenities like a bed, toilet, and microwave, allowing for crew rest and comfort during long missions.

The B-21’s modular, open architecture allows for easy upgrades and potential foreign sales of components. Its digital design enables rapid software and hardware upgrades, keeping it effective against evolving threats. One of the highlights of the B-21 Raider is that it costs significantly less than the B-2 Spirit.

A single B-21 Raider is estimated to cost between $692 million and $749 million, whereas the B-2 Spirit went for around $2 billion. This is precisely why the US Air Force placed a bulk order for 100 B-21 bombers, while it ordered only 21 B-2 Spirits, at the height of the Cold War.

The American aerospace company, Northrop Grumman, is the manufacturer for both the B-21 Raider and the B-2 Spirit bombers. Stealth technology has become a crucial deterrence in the face of rapid advancements in detection technologies.

It provides a strategic edge in a range of missions, including reconnaissance, surveillance, and precision strikes in heavily defended areas. But not many countries have been able to develop stealth capabilities.

Besides the United States, only two other countries have achieved this feat—Russia and China. The US first developed the stealth technology in 1958.

Then, 17 years later, Russia, or the Soviet Union at the time, attained the capability in 1974. China got it nearly four decades later, when it tested the J-20 in 2011.

But the United States seems to have taken a giant leap in the stealth technology, enabling the American military to maintain air superiority over others.

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