Defense News
December 2, 2022

‘Deterrence the American way’: The new B-21 bomber debuts

For the first time in a generation, the Air Force revealed a new stealth bomber — a sleek, highly capable weapon the service hopes will be so deadly it would force leaders in China or Russia to rethink wars for decades to come.

The Air Force unveiled the Northrop Grumman-made B-21 Raider to the public Friday in a ceremony at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, that included top defense officials….

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As dusk fell and a Northrop Grumman employee sang the National Anthem, a procession of three bombers streaked overhead – first a B-52 Stratofortress, then a B-1 Lancer with its afterburners roaring, and finally a B-2 Spirit bomber.

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The long-awaited debut of the B-21 marks a milestone in reshaping the Air Force’s increasingly creaky bomber fleet. It comes at a time when Russia is attempting to conquer Ukraine, China’s view of Taiwan is sparking concern, and when the U.S. military wants a highly public display to serve as a pointed warning to America’s adversaries.