Air Force Ramps Up Spending on Next-Generation Stealth Bomber [View all]
The Air Force awarded a $108 million deal Wednesday to a defense contractor to start acquiring parts for the B-21 Raider program -- the upcoming fleet of long-range strike bombers that will soon consume a major portion of the service's budget.
The B-21 Raider project is projected to cost the Air Force $5 billion next year, including $3.25 billion for research and development. That's the largest aircraft research project the Air Force has in the works, and a significant portion of its roughly $169.5 billion proposed budget for fiscal 2023.
Most details about the program are shielded by a thick layer of classification as the Pentagon works to ensure the bombers and their advanced stealth capabilities can surprise potential foes, with only general details about production and cost publicly revealed as part of the budgeting process.
In total, at least 100 of the B-21 aircraft are scheduled to be produced. They are expected to be operational by the mid-2020s and will be capable of carrying conventional and nuclear munitions.
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/04/08/air-force-ramps-spending-next-generation-stealth-bomber.html
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