Northrop Grumman is constructing the first two B-21 Raider bombers.

While these particular B-21s are test units, the Air Force plans to eventually use the planes as replacements for the Air Force's B-1 and B-2 bombers.

The service is pushing for nearly 50 percent more bombers than originally planned.


The first two B-21 Raider bombers—which will eventually be able to carry both nuclear and conventional weapons—are nearly mechanically complete, but still won't fly until 2022.


The U.S. Air Force's (USAF) bomber program, designed to field a replacement for the B-1 Lancer and B-2 Spirit by the late 2020s, is on track. That's a rarity in the world of military hardware procurement. Still, Congress is calling on the service to accelerate the program; USAF isn't budging.

"WE HAVE TO GET THROUGH THE ENGINEERING WITH SOLID DISCIPLINE."

"Once we get through design and get the first ones delivered, we can adjust production rates and maybe affect them that way, but we have to get through the engineering with solid discipline," Air Force acting acquisition executive Darlene Costello said during a House Armed Services panel on June 8.

One major reason the Air Force doesn't want to speed up the B-21 program is that, while the bombers are almost mechanically complete, the service has not yet solidified the overall design for the larger fleet. The service is concerned that speeding things up could introduce concurrency issues.

That's a circumstance in which an aircraft is built before the design is finalized. The Air Force intentionally introduced concurrency with the F-35 fighter to make planes available to pilots sooner, with the idea that the service would eventually update the early production jets to match the final hardware and software standard.

Concurrency indeed got pilots into F-35 cockpits faster, but it also created the nightmare of hundreds of jets, worldwide, built to different hardware and software standards. As a result, the military required billions of dollars in additional funding to bring the fighters up to the final standard. Although the Air Force is eager to get the B-21 Raider flying, it would prefer not to repeat such a complex and expensive headache again.


It's also expressed a strong interest in a future fleet of 225 heavy bombers. The Air Force currently has 158 bombers, with 62 B-1 Lancer bombers, 20 B-2 Spirit bombers, and 76 B-52H Stratofortress bombers. The B-21 will replace the B-1 and B-2, while the B-52H will fly on through at least the 2040s, if not into the 2050s.

In order to reach a future fleet of 225 bombers, the service would need 149 B-21 Raider bombers. That's nearly a 50 percent increase in demand, up from the Air Force's original plans to buy about 100 of the planes for a maximum of $665 million.

While we're still parading Alpha Jets in our military inventory.

Praxis758:
While we're still parading Alpha Jets in our military inventory.

Overused Alpha Jets

Damm B-21 what a bad ass destroyer.

Praxis758:
While we're still parading Alpha Jets in our military inventory.

USA, Russia and China are the only countries that have successfully built bombers.

Praxis758:
While we're still parading Alpha Jets in our military inventory.

USA, Russia and China are the only countries that have successfully built bombers.

So stop comparing Nigeria with the USA.

olugabbie:


USA, Russia and China are the only countries that have successfully built bombers.

So stop comparing Nigeria with the USA.

So Egypt with F16 fighter jets in its military inventory is Russia and Egypt?

Do you mean it's a sin if Nigeria has 'F' fighter jets in his inventory?

Praxis758:



So Egypt with F16 fighter jets in its military inventory is Russia and Egypt?

Do you mean it's a sin if Nigeria has 'F' fighter jets in his inventory?

oga the f16 ain't a bomber and we've got the equivalent of the f16 in our inventory that's the jf17 thunder

olugabbie:


USA, Russia and China are the only countries that have successfully built bombers.

Yes but but russia and china's bombers are not in the same class as that of the American new bomber.

Devgru:


oga the f16 ain't a bomber and we've got the equivalent of the f16 in our inventory that's the jf17 thunder

Comparing F-class fighter jet is like comparing Toyota Camry to Benz G-wagon.

Oga, do your research on military, F-class fighter jets are next to the B bombers.

The F-29 in the Israeli's military inventory is a major reason why Iran wouldn't dare the Israel in air hostility

Praxis758:


Comparing F-class fighter jet is like comparing Toyota Camry to Benz G-wagon.

Oga, do your research on military, F-class fighter jets are next to the B bombers.

The F-29 in the Israeli's military inventory is a major reason why Iran wouldn't dare the Israel in air hostility

1) fighter jets are different from bombers they both play different rules in warfare. fighters are built for air superiority while bombers are built to carry heavy payloads over very long distances
2) there's no proof that the f16 is better than the j17. the j17 is lighter, and faster compared with the f16 reaching mach 1.6 as against the f16's mach 1.2. it's also a more modern aircraft as the first variant was built in 2007 as against the f16 which was built in 1973
3) there's no f variant as f29 and I suppose you meant f22 which still isn't a bomber. Israel has no bomber

Devgru:


1) fighter jets are different from bombers they both play different rules in warfare. fighters are built for air superiority while bombers are built to carry heavy payloads over very long distances
2) there's no proof that the f16 is better than the j17. the j17 is lighter, and faster compared with the f16 reaching mach 1.6 as against the f16's mach 1.2. it's also a more modern aircraft as the first variant was built in 2007 as against the f16 which was built in 1973
3) there's no f variant as f29 and I suppose you meant f22 which still isn't a bomber. Israel has no bomber

I never said the F fighter jets are bombers.

I said they're next in array of ranking.

Long range distance, air refuelling and nuclear capability are the advantages the Bombers have over the F class.

The F-22 has all the capabilities of the Bombers.
The Bombers are not deployable in most warefares like terrorism and aggression because they're designed to cause maximum damage to military and territorial capability of their targets. That's why Russia and China will not mess with any US top allies.

The Bombers are stealth, a dangerous military technology that makes the US emperor over the airspace of major enemy countries.

Praxis758:




I never said the F fighter jets are bombers.

I said they're next in array of ranking.

Long range distance, air refuelling and nuclear capability are the advantages the Bombers have over the F class.


The F-22 has all the capabilities of the Bombers.
The Bombers are not deployable in most warefares like terrorism and aggression because they're designed to cause maximum damage to military and territorial capability of their targets. That's why Russia and China will not mess with any US top allies.

The Bombers are stealth, a dangerous military technology that makes the US emperor over the airspace of major enemy countries.

Ranking based on what exactly? it's like saying the self propelled howitzer is next in ranking to a main battle tank. they aren't the same functionally and so can't be ranked side by side. we rank things that are similar not things that aren't
the bomber has an advantage
over the fighter and the fighter has an advantage over the bomber eg close air support, interdiction, interception, air superiority etc these are two different varieties of aircrafts the only major similarity between fighters and bombers is that they are both warplanes

the f22 doesn't have all the capabilities of a bomber the aircraft was designed primarily as an air superiority fighter , but also has ground attack , electronic warfare , and signal intelligence capabilities. the f22B was the proposed USAF bomber variant of the raptor but even that program has been cancelled

I don't know what the people on this thread smoked
I just heard f29

[left][/left]

And Israel having f22 common only the USA has an f22 and there is no play like f29.

Praxis758:


Comparing F-class fighter jet is like comparing Toyota Camry to Benz G-wagon.

Oga, do your research on military, F-class fighter jets are next to the B bombers.

The F-29 in the Israeli's military inventory is a major reason why Iran wouldn't dare the Israel in air hostility

Which one is F-29 again ? You mean F-22? Or F-35?

Praxis758:




I never said the F fighter jets are bombers.

I said they're next in array of ranking.

Long range distance, air refuelling and nuclear capability are the advantages the Bombers have over the F class.

The F-22 has all the capabilities of the Bombers.
The Bombers are not deployable in most warefares like terrorism and aggression because they're designed to cause maximum damage to military and territorial capability of their targets. That's why Russia and China will not mess with any US top allies.

The Bombers are stealth, a dangerous military technology that makes the US emperor over the airspace of major enemy countries.

Abeg carry your beer parlor talk comot for here.

There are not advantages that Bombers have over fighters jet. They are two different type of jets and there’s no basis of comparison.

A bomber is a bomber, a fighters jet is a fighters jet.

No such thing as stealth in real life, it’s just a military term for less equipped military. Yugoslavia show the world that with an old Russian air defense system.

Devgru:


Ranking based on what exactly? it's like saying the self propelled howitzer is next in ranking to a main battle tank. they aren't the same functionally and so can't be ranked side by side. we rank things that are similar not things that aren't
the bomber has an advantage
over the fighter and the fighter has an advantage over the bomber eg close air support, interdiction, interception, air superiority etc these are two different varieties of aircrafts the only major similarity between fighters and bombers is that they are both warplanes

the f22 doesn't have all the capabilities of a bomber the aircraft was designed primarily as an air superiority fighter , but also has ground attack , electronic warfare , and signal intelligence capabilities. the f22B was the proposed USAF bomber variant of the raptor but even that program has been cancelled

You did a great job by trying to spoon feed him with info though

illitracy:
I don't know what the people on this thread smoked
I just heard f29

[left][/left]

And Israel having f22 common only the USA has an f22 and there is no play like f29.

Baba is in the beer parlor

sunboy:


Abeg carry your beer parlor talk comot for here.

There are not advantages that Bombers have over fighters jet. They are two different type of jets and there’s no basis of comparison.

A bomber is a bomber, a fighters jet is a fighters jet.

No such thing as stealth in real life, it’s just a military term for less equipped military. Yugoslavia show the world that with an old Russian air defense system.

that's what I've been trying to reiterate to him


yep no such thing as a completely stealth aircraft. But I think bombers tend to be less vulnerable to air defense systems than fighters due to altitudes they're capable of reaching. remember the old saying "the bomber will always get through "

Praxis758:
While we're still parading Alpha Jets in our military inventory.

abi 1943 jet designs we still dey cruise in a refurbished way

Devgru:


oga the f16 ain't a bomber and we've got the equivalent of the f16 in our inventory that's the jf17 thunder

shut up u mean refurbished jf17 dat is used by individuals to fly air competitions in USA

Them do use one drop bomb for your head before ; as you claim USA bomber is better

Praxis758:


Comparing F-class fighter jet is like comparing Toyota Camry to Benz G-wagon.

Oga, do your research on military, F-class fighter jets are next to the B bombers.

The F-29 in the Israeli's military inventory is a major reason why Iran wouldn't dare the Israel in air hostility