New B-21 Raider Stealth Bomber: China and Russia Have No Way to Counter It

Key Points and Summary – The B-21 Raider is built to outpace its peers in stealth, scale, and endurance.

-Two test jets are flying, with at least 100—possibly 150—planned. An open-systems backbone lets the bomber refresh sensors, EW and weapons quickly, including a potential two-crew setup with a Weapons System Officer for complex, hypersonic-ready strikes.

The B-21 Raider was unveiled to the public at a ceremony December 2, 2022 in
Palmdale, Calif. Designed to operate in tomorrow’s high-end threat environment, the B-21 will play a critical role in ensuring America’s enduring airpower capability. (U.S. Air Force photo)

The B-21 Raider was unveiled to the public at a ceremony December 2, 2022.

-Compared with China’s H-20 and Russia’s PAK DA—both delayed and unproven—the B-21 pairs low observability with global reach and U.S. crews seasoned by decades of combat.

-Backed by Congress and currently tracking on time and under budget, the Raider is positioned to mass-produce 6th-gen strike and dominate into the 2030s.

Why the B-21 Raider Is Better Than the Competition

The US Air Force is excited about the B-21 Raider stealth bomber, and with good reason. Two already fly in test and evaluation mode. There will be at least 100 of the sixth-generation bombers and perhaps even 150 on the way. It is a dual strategic-conventional strike aircraft with the range to destroy targets at any time, anywhere. And it has a valuable open systems architecture that is rapidly updatable as technology improves over the next several decades.

There is competition, though. The Chinese have the enigmatic H-20 stealth bomber, which can be compared to the B-2 Spirit’s flying wing design. The Russians have the PAK DA next-generation long-range strike airplane.

If There Is a Weapon System Officer, Then Look Out

The B-21 has the potential to surpass those airplanes.

There is a proposal to have a pilot and a weapons system officer on board. This will enable the Raiders’ personnel to control more accurate and advanced weaponry, such as hypersonic weapons.

Pilots will be better trained and more experienced than those who fly the H-20 and PAK DA. Artificial intelligence will enable pilots and weapons system officers to perform their jobs more effectively.

Quick Look at the H-20

China’s H-20 will also have a long-range, perhaps even a 10,000-mile combat radius, which places countries in its near abroad in danger. The People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) may have already flown it earlier this year.

While little is known about the PLAAF’s new bomber, it will likely give the Chinese the ability to deliver nuclear weapons that could reach the United States.

PAK DA Is the Russian Entrant

The PAK DA (Prospective Aviation Complex for Long-Range Aviation), also known as the “Poslannik,” has Vladimir Putin confident it can also deliver long-range nuclear weapons. The PAK DA is meant to replace the Tu-95 and Tu-160 bombers.

Tu-95 Bomber Russian Air Force. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Tu-95 Bear Bomber. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

The Russians believe the PAK DA is the stealthiest of all the next-generation bombers. It also features a flying-wing design and modernized avionics not found on other Russian bombers. However, like the H-20, Putin and his Air Force generals appear to struggle with delivering it on time. Delays have plagued the program.

American Pilots Are Superior

The US Air Force has more combat-tested pilots than China and maybe even Russia. Americans have been flying strike missions since 9/11. The latest bombing sortie that shocked the world in its efficacy was Operation Midnight Hammer, which successfully attacked Iranian nuclear infrastructure.

American aviators are better trained, having undergone an intense level of tutelage before they fly full-time. Russian pilots have not enjoyed a great war against Ukraine and have failed at establishing air dominance. Chinese aviators have no combat experience.

The B-21 will be able to mask detection from heat-seeking radar, which enhances its stealth capability. China and Russia reportedly have anti-stealth radar, but the technology is unproven and may be overstated.

China’s JY-27V and Russia’s Nebo-M are intended to utilize low-frequency bands and meter-wave features; however, these systems are still immature, and the B-21 can likely outfox them.

Enemy Underground Facilities Are Vulnerable

The Raider will be updated as stealth technology improves over the years. It has a diverse mission set that includes attacks on ICBM sites with bunker-busting bombs that can penetrate hard targets similar to those used in Operation Midnight Hammer.

President Donald Trump believes he has a valuable asset in the B-2; he or the next president will likely be enthusiastic about the B-21’s capabilities. This will allow surgical attacks with no civilian collateral damage and will be a White House asset to make bombing runs that can pinpoint threats without using soldiers and marines on the ground.

This will become increasingly important as more dangerous and varied hazards emerge in the 2030s.

So far, the B-21 is on time and under budget and has a chance to reach active duty status quicker than the PAK DA and H-20. The United States could win the sixth-generation airplane sweepstakes, which would give a boost to other next-generation programs, such as the F-47 NGAD and F/A-XX stealth fighter jets.

PAK DA Bomber from Russia. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

PAK DA Bomber from Russia. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

The Raider has the chance to be produced in greater numbers than the Russian and Chinese versions. The Department of Defense is fully behind the program. Congress has been supportive, and there is a champion—Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota—who has been an early cheerleader for the platform. Rounds and his colleagues are liable to keep the funding streams open. It also appears the federal government shutdown will end soon.

That means the House and Senate Armed Services Committees can get back to business and fully fund the B-21. That’s why it’s possible that more than 100 could be built, which may eclipse the numbers of the PAK DA and H-20.

There is strength in numbers, and the B-21s, along with the F-47 NGAD, will enable the airplanes to be stealthy as ghosts, giving the Americans a greater advantage through pinpoint attacks that can be executed quickly and accurately with the president’s command.

The B-21 will be a superior airplane. The stealthiness is unprecedented. U.S. manufacturing has a head start, and the Raider program is on time and under budget. Pilots are more experienced and better trained.

The weapon system officer will enable precision strikes and command over hypersonic missiles that the competition won’t have. The B-21 will be a presidential-level asset that can conduct even more successful missions, such as Operation Midnight Hammer.

H-20 Bomber. Chinese Internet Social Media Screenshot.

We’ll keep an eye on the H-20 and PAK DA programs to see how they progress, but at this point, the overall advantage appears to lie with the B-21.

About the Author: Brent M. Eastwood

Brent M. Eastwood, PhD is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare, plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for US Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former US Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.

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