B-21 Raider

The U.S. Air Force's next-generation penetrating long-range strike stealth bomber — nuclear and conventional capable, designed for highly contested environments, and set to replace the B-1B and B-2 fleets with a common, digitally engineered platform.

Overview

The Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider is a flying-wing stealth bomber developed for the U.S. Air Force as the backbone of its future penetrating strike force. It originated from the Long-Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B) competition and was designed from the outset to counter advanced integrated air defenses while carrying both nuclear and conventional payloads. The program is explicitly cost-controlled: the official Average Procurement Unit Cost is capped at $692 million in base-year 2022 dollars across a minimum planned fleet of 100 aircraft, according to the U.S. Air Force fact sheet. Intended to replace the B-1B Lancer and B-2A Spirit, the B-21 introduces open systems architecture, optional unmanned operation, and a digital-engineering pedigree that has kept its test campaign on schedule and budget.

🔒 The full B-21 Raider file is for BattlePolicy Pro members. Below the line: development history, design and capabilities, variants, the combat record, advantages and limitations, comparable systems, outlook, the full specifications table, our sourcing, and the analyst assessment — procurement, suppliers and the BattlePolicy verdict. Unlock the full file with BattlePolicy Pro →