Sorry this came out so late but... So as you may know, the long anticipated B-21 Raider has just been rolled out of Northrop Grumman's Plant 42 in Palmdale, California! On December 2nd, 2022, we got our first glimpse of the B-21 and immediately noticed some interesting design features. First of all, probably one of the more noticeable changes from the original B-2 Spirit that is to be replaced by this new aircraft is the windshield panels, which are a different shape. you may also notice that the air inlets on either side of the cockpit are thinner than on the B-2, possibly suggesting two engines instead of four, like on the B-2. Another difference that may be less noticeable is the front landing gear panel, which hinges open on the side of the landing gear compartment instead of on the front, like on the B-2. Then there are also the details that we have been told already, like a shorter wingspan and fewer jagged edges on the back, as well as far more advanced avionics and systems that have been improved upon in the 40 years since the B-2's development. We have been promised that this new bomber is the most advanced aircraft in the world, capable of carrying nuclear-armed weapons and traveling long distances in the event of a war between the U.S. and China, which we all sincerely hope never happens. The first test flight is scheduled for the sometime in the middle of 2023, where we will finally see this bomber in action.
