Back in early June Aerospace Perceptions covered a B-2 flyover at Dover Air Force Base as well as information about the B-2’s planned successor, the B-21 Raider.
Tomorrow, December 2, 2022, the all-new B-21 will be the
star of a public unveiling at Northrop Grumman’s Palmdale California facility. “This
changes everything” the aerospace firm notes in a post offering a ten-second
video promoting the event on Facebook, and that’s an accurate assessment.
Though the B-21 may at first glance resemble the B-2, this new smaller aircraft
boasts the same long-range capabilities as its predecessor now made even more
potent.
It’s been more than 30 years since the U.S. Air Force
implemented a new bomber aircraft, so the growing excitement over the B-21 rollout
reflects that decades-long expanse. The Raider stands as a major advancement in
stealth technologies and in the digital methodologies used to discover, design,
and then test those enhanced approaches to masking aircraft operations. Speculation
has also focused on whether the B-21 will be operational without a crew onboard,
in addition to configurations hosting humans playing traditional roles.
Northrop Grumman has announced the unveiling is scheduled
for 5 p.m. PST/8 p.m. EST. The following link has been provided for viewing the
event: