Nightmare for China’s Defense: New-Generation Nuclear Bomber B-21 Raider’s First Test Flight

State-of-the-art stealth strategic bomber
Capable of carrying nuclear weapons, replacing B-1 and B-2 bombers
Expected to be deployed in actual combat around 2026-2027
The actual deployment number could reach up to 170 units

The U.S. Air Force’s next-generation stealth strategic bomber, the B-21 Raider, has successfully completed its inaugural flight test.

On November 11 (local time), Bloomberg reported that the B-21 Raider, the U.S.’s next-generation stealth strategic bomber capable of carrying nuclear weapons, has completed its first test flight. Developed in response to China’s nuclear capabilities, the B-21 embarked on its first flight from a U.S. Air Force base in Palmdale, a northern city in Los Angeles County, California.

Air Force spokesperson Anne Stepanek told U.S. media outlets, including Bloomberg, that the B-21 Raider is “undergoing flight testing.” She described this test flight as crucial in providing a viable long-range penetration strike capability to deter provocations and strategic attacks against the U.S., its allies, and partners.

The B-21, a weapon unveiled for the first time in December of last year, is part of the United States’ $1 trillion nuclear modernization efforts aimed at countering the expanding nuclear capabilities of China. It is known to have the ability to take off from U.S. territory and secretly strike anywhere in the world while carrying nuclear weapons.

Each unit is priced at about USD 692 million

The B-21 can also carry conventional precision-guided munitions and is capable of unmanned operation. It’s particularly noted for its advanced stealth technology, reportedly capable of significantly evading existing air defense systems.

The flight test, conducted in secrecy, took place at the Northrop Grumman factory in Palmdale, California, as reported by Reuters. Bloomberg also reported that images of the B-21 flying at low altitude alongside conventional fighter jets appeared on social media.

The U.S. military plans to produce and operate 100 B-21 bombers. Each is estimated to cost USD 692 million. The distinctive manta-ray-like appearance of the B-21 has not been officially unveiled, but it’s expected to be deployed between 2026 and 2027.

Citing U.S. Air Force estimates, the media reported that over the next 30 years, at least $USD 230 billion will be spent on developing, purchasing, and operating B-21 bombers.

The B-21 is considered the culmination of 50 years of stealth technology. As the U.S.’s next-generation stealth strategic bomber, it can carry both conventional and nuclear munitions. Deploying from the U.S., it boasts a flight range capable of dropping bombs anywhere in the world, causing concern in China and Russia. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has described it as a “strategic weapon aimed at China.”

The B-21 and the B-52 are set to be the mainstay of the U.S. Air Force’s bomber fleet. It is intended to replace the ‘B-2’ and ‘B-1’, but Boeing and Lockheed Martin have proposed upgrading the B-52 to remain in service until 2050. If realized, the B-52 would be an unprecedented aircraft, having served for 100 years. The B-52 model, the B-52H model, has been in use since its first deployment in February 1955.

Regarding cost and operation, the B-21 is only a quarter of the B-2’s price.

The B-21 Raider, formerly known as ‘B-3’ or ‘LRS-B’ (Long-Range Strike-B), is expected to replace strategic bombers like the B-1 and B-2. It’s planned to be equipped with various systems for joint operations with F-35, F-22, PCA, and F/A-XX aircraft.

The B-21 is designed based on the requirement to apply the highest military technology from start to finish. It’s built to cover the entire world from the U.S. mainland, with a flight range and armament exceeding existing capabilities. The U.S. Air Force is also considering using the B-21 for multi-purpose roles, including air-to-air combat, especially in response to China’s growing military presence in Asia-Pacific.

The B-21 is expected to be used not only as a low-observable strategic bomber capable of nuclear deployment, like its predecessor, the B-2, but also for command and control of early warning aircraft, intelligence gathering, and interception missions. It’s also intended to be equipped with a powerful unmanned operation capability, commanding numerous other drones.

The B-21 will not only inherit the B-2’s role as a nuclear-capable, low-observable strategic bomber. Still, it will also be utilized for operations such as command and control of early warning aircraft, intelligence collection, and interception missions. Significantly, it is expected to be equipped with advanced unmanned operation capabilities, allowing it to command numerous other drones.

Smaller than the B-2 and with only half the payload, the B-21’s acquisition and operating costs are just a quarter of the B-2’s. Over 100 units are planned to be acquired, which is projected to enhance the overall strategic bomber force of the U.S. Air Force. It also plans to use the F135 engine, currently in use in the F-35, and may incorporate new engines being developed to replace the sixth-generation fighters and the F135. The number of engines installed is reported to be between two and four.

The U.S. Air Force officially named the B-21 ‘Raider’ in honor of the ‘Doolittle Raid.’ This commemorates the bombing operation led by then Lieutenant Colonel James Harold Doolittle of the U.S. Army Air Forces on April 18, 1942, during World War II, which targeted major Japanese cities like Tokyo and Osaka in retaliation for the Pearl Harbor attack.

The main reason for the U.S.’s confidence in the B-21’s production as a counter to China’s nuclear deterrence is its stealth capability. The B-21’s exceptional stealth performance could neutralize China’s air defense network.

China’s strategy against the U.S. carrier strike groups is often called ‘Anti Access/Area Denial.’ They plan to detect carrier movement using a network of satellites, early warning aircraft, Aegis ships, and ground radars, and block U.S. access to Chinese waters using ‘carrier killer’ missiles like ‘DF-21D’, ‘DF-26D’ and hypersonic missiles DF-17 in the event of a conflict.

However, the equation changes with the deployment of the B-21. Even with China’s layered radar networks, the B-21 could easily penetrate them, leaving China defenseless. To enhance the B-21’s stealth performance, the U.S. reduced its size to 80% of the B-2 and designed its exhaust and intake systems to evade infrared radars.

The B-21 is the U.S.’s next-generation strategic bomber, introduced 34 years after the B-2, incorporating cutting-edge stealth technology. Secretary Austin confidently stated that “even the most advanced radars will have difficulty detecting the B-21,” highlighting its stealth capabilities.

The B-21: Neutralizing China’s Praised Air Defense Network

Even Chinese experts concede on this point. A retired senior colonel of the People’s Liberation Army, now a military analyst on CCTV, acknowledged in an interview, “The B-21’s stealth capabilities have improved compared to the B-2 and F-22, able to evade radars of all directions and wavelengths,” adding, “Easier maintenance also suggests increased deployment at frontlines and higher sortie rates.” The B-21’s stealth capabilities could potentially evade even China’s meter-wave and quantum radars.

Despite these advancements, the unit price of the B-21 is also a point of interest, around USD 600 million, only 20-30% of the B-2’s cost. The U.S. initially announced the purchase of over 100 B-21s, but military publications speculate the actual deployment could reach 170 units. This is a countermeasure to China’s mass deployment of J-20 stealth fighters.

A primary concern for China regarding the B-21’s operational deployment is the potential incapacitation of China’s radar network, leaving their military command, strategic missile forces, and key radar bases vulnerable. In such a scenario, the entry of the U.S.’s powerful carrier strike groups would be an impossible challenge for China.

By. Lee Hyun Ho