The US Air Force has unveiled a rendering of the new Long Range Strike Bomber and revealed its official designation, B-21.
Secretary Deborah Lee James revealed an image of how the B-21 could look, as well as its designation, at the Air Warfare Symposium.
The Secretary shared a concept design of the next-generation bomber, which will be built by Northrop Grumman. She also announced the aircrafts long-awaited designation, calling it the B-21.
It is understood that service members will be given an opportunity to help name the bomber in the near future.
Secretary Deborah Lee James said:
“So we have an image, we have a designation, but what we don’t yet have, we don’t yet have a name and this is where I’m challenging and I’m calling on every airman today, to give us your best suggestions for a name for the B-21, America’s newest bomber.”
The USAF first revealed last year that the LRS-B’s development was much further along than had been publicly acknowledged and more than usual before a contract award. Final requirements had been finalised since May 2013.
The USAF plans to purchase 80 to 100 aircraft at a cost of $550 million each. The aircraft will be a long-range strategic bomber, intended to be a large-payload stealth aircraft capable of carrying thermonuclear weapons.
How about half a dozen for the RAF!!!!
More Like B-2.1
Call it ‘Bomberang”
Incredible really.
I’d like us to build more subs though they can do more damage than the long range bomber.
You know the US are also sharing aircraft carrier technology with the Indians whom are looking to build nuclear powered vessels along with accommodating all types of aircraft.
While we spend 6billion on diesel engines. Got to wonder about this special relationship.
I’m pretty sure that the design decisions on QE Class were unrelated to the level of technology transfer available from the USA.
The Indian defence budget is around US$40bn (UK is around US$70bn). So, if India goes for nuclear carriers, they’re going to have to make some pretty hard decisions about other bits of their military budget.
QE Class is actually built and in fit-out. The Indian domestic large carrier programme (INS Vishal?) is still in the “design study” phase – a long road with many obstacles ahead.
If UK bought 4 x B-21 from the US it may help us from trying to bring back Vulcan Bombers as we did in 1982 to bomb the Falklands. With this kind of technology we may be able to put more than one bomb on the runway. We may need these these B21 bombers in the near future