America's Newest Warplane
The US Air Force yesterday evening debuted America's first new nuclear stealth bomber in more than 30 years. The aircraft, known as the B-21 Raider, is part of the Pentagon's efforts to modernize all three pillars of its nuclear triad, consisting of nuclear missile submarines, land-based nuclear missiles, and nuclear-capable aircraft. The B-21 Raider is expected to make its first flight in 2023 and succeeds the B-2 Spirit, first presented in 1988.
The public reveal comes days after the Department of Defense released its annual report on China, saying it poses the most consequential challenge to America's national security. China has more than 400 operational nuclear warheads and is on track to have 1,500 nuclear weapons by 2035.
The Air Force plans to build 100 B-21 Raiders, with six currently in production, that can deploy either nuclear weapons or conventional bombs—with or without a crew. It's unclear how much 100 aircraft will actually cost; estimates suggest about $753M each.