Key Points – The US Department of Defense’s fiscal year 2026 budget proposal reveals a significant increase in funding for the B-21 Raider, allocating over $4 billion to accelerate the development and production of the next-generation stealth bomber.
-This move comes as recent events, like the B-2 strikes on Iran, highlight the critical need for advanced, long-range strike capabilities.
-The B-21 is designed to be a more maintainable and adaptable successor to the B-2 Spirit, featuring superior stealth and an open-systems architecture for future upgrades.
-The increased investment underscores the B-21’s central role in the future of the US nuclear triad.
B-21 Raider: The B-2’s Replacement Is Coming
The U.S. Department of Defense unveiled its fiscal year 2026 budget request this week, revealing an additional $4 billion for the next-generation B-21 Raider stealth bomber.
The newest American stealth bomber is set to replace the B-2 Spirit and B-1B Lancer strategic bombers in the U.S. Air Force.
During a Pentagon press briefing on Thursday, President Donald Trump’s proposed $1.01 trillion national defense budget was revealed in detail.
It includes plans to direct $2.3 billion from the base budget and an additional $2.4 billion from the reconciliation bill to accelerate the development and production of the new aircraft.
The news also comes amid renewed interest in the B-2 stealth bombers following the American “bunker buster” strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities last weekend.
The B-2 Bomber Is Getting Old
Despite the new appreciation and attention the United States’ most advanced stealth bombers have received, however, the planes are showing their age. Reports this week revealed how one B-2 bomber, which was used in a decoy mission during the Iran strikes, is stuck in Hawaii after performing an emergency landing at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu.
It’s also no secret that the B-2 requires extensive maintenance – particularly with regard to its radar-absorbent materials and coating – and is expensive to use in combat.
Using technology first developed in the 1980s, the B-2 is among the most feared bombers in the world – but its replacement is expected to reduce overall maintenance costs while providing crucial technological upgrades in terms of weaponry, capabilities, and function.
The B-21 Raider Bomber: Can It Dominate Like the B-2 Spirit?
The B-21 Raider, slated to replace the B-2 Spirit by 2040, has been in development since 2011. The Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman its first major development contract in 2015, to field the aircraft by the mid-2020s.
While progress has been made, the latest budget request is designed to accelerate the production of the bomber at a rapid pace. After a first flight on November 10, 2023, three airworthy B-21s were undergoing testing by September 2024.
The B-21 is expected to build on the stealth technology triumphs of its predecessor, incorporating a smoother radar-absorbent coating throughout the plane and improving on existing air intakes to ensure minimal air disruption and improved engine performance.
The upgraded bomber’s exterior coating is also expected to require less maintenance than that of the B-2, which currently necessitates the aircraft being stored in climate-controlled hangars. The B-21 will also feature an improved exhaust embedded within the tail of the jet.
However, the big question is, can it take the fight to Russia, China, Iran, or North Korea in a crisis? All signs point to a big yes.
About the Author:
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society. His latest book is The Truth Teller: RFK Jr. and the Case for a Post-Partisan Presidency.
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