B-21 Raider: The Air Force Will Have at Least a 100 Of These New Bombers

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Key Points: The U.S. Air Force is focused on avoiding the past mistakes made with the B-2 Spirit program by ensuring robust production of the next-generation B-21 Raider stealth bombers.

-Starting with a low-rate production phase of 21 units, the Air Force has committed to building at least 100 Raiders.

-These bombers will replace aging B-1B Lancers and B-2 Spirits, supported by modernized B-52J Stratofortresses.

-The program may also include Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drones, acting as loyal wingmen or deployable assets to amplify the Raider’s capabilities.

U.S. Air Force Could Receive More B-21 Raiders – Bombers Will be Bolstered With CCAs

The United States Air Force is determined not to see history repeat itself – namely by ending up with a bomber fleet that is too small, and too expensive.

While the service was forced to cut short its purchase of the Northrop B-2 Spirit a generation ago, it won’t cut short its acquisition of the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raiders. More importantly, the aerospace giant could even produce additional bombers if the service deems it necessary.

“If the Department of the Air Force, the Department of Defense, or Congress directs an accelerated ramp … for the B-21 program, there’s some capability growth within the current complex,” said Gen. Thomas A. Bussiere during an event hosted by the Air & Space Forces Association’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.

Already in Production

The B-21 Raider entered its Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) in January – yet, the first five production lots of the B-21 will total just 21 airplanes. That was by design, however, and was meant to ensure the costs would be managed according. The next-generation program is expected to include more than 100 bombers, although there have been repeated calls to increase that number; and possibly even see it doubled.

By contrast, when the B-2 Spirit was produced, initial plans called for 132 aircraft to be built. Then Congress drastically reduced and then terminated the program after only 21 had been built. That resulted in the cost per aircraft climbing to nearly $2 billion!

Greater emphasis has been placed on the program to ensure the Raider will be the aircraft the Air Force needs, can afford, and that it will have the fleet it needs. The latter point will be adjusted as necessary, with increases if necessary.

A 200+ Bomber Fleet

The United States remains just one of three nations, along with China and Russia that continues to operate long-range bombers, which are a key component of the nuclear triad. Bussiere has suggested that Washington needs to evaluate how many bombers it needs – not only for today but for future conflicts.

“We have 141 bombers in the inventory between the B-1, the B-2 and the B-52,” Bussiere added. “The demand signal for the bombers is greater than any time I’ve seen in my career, across the fabric of every geographic combatant command.”

However, the Air Force currently plans to retire the aging Rockwell B-1B Lancer and B-2 Spirit as the B-21 Raider enters service later this decade. The service will continue to operate a fleet of 76 upgraded Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, and the aircraft has been redesignated as the B-52Js as each bomber receives new engines and other enhancements.

The U.S. Air Force has seen its bombers logging a lot of miles in the air, with deployments to Europe, the Indo-Pacific, and the Middle East. The last thing the service would likely want to be forced to do would be extend the life of the Lancers and Spirits or to see retired aircraft returned to service – if that were even possible.

“The number of bombers in the fleet will be informed by the threat, the National Defense Strategy, the budget, deployment/employment demand signals, and most importantly decisions by policy makers,” explained Bussiere. “We will get at least 100 B-21s, modernize the B-52J, and retire B-2s and B-1s as new platforms come online and are Fully Operationally Capable. We must have the number required to provide both strategic and conventional deterrence, and if our deterrence fails, we must have the number required to deliver a decisive response.”

More Than a Money Issue

Arguably the biggest hold-up for any increase in the fleet of the B-21 would be what lawmakers are willing to approve. However, the incoming administration will control both the House and Senate, which could make it a bit easier to pass a defense budget increase.

The other issue is whether Northrop Grumman has the capacity. It could require additional contractors to help with the production.

Fortunately, the B-21 Raider has an advantage coming out of the gate. The initial prototypes were built on the same lines, using the same tools and processes that would build the eventual production aircraft. That approach has enabled production engineers and technicians to capture lessons learned and apply them directly to follow-on aircraft, driving home a focus on repeatability, producibility, and quality.

Drones Could be a Force Multiplier for B-21 Raider Bombers 

In addition to more bombers, the B-21 Raider could receive some unmanned escorts – namely the autonomous Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), which was being developed as a “loyal wingman” for a possible sixth-generation manned fighter.

As the program matures, the CCA could serve alongside the Raider. Issues such as range still need to be addressed, and long-range drones might not be cost-effective. But there could be other options – including having a B-21 that acts as a “mother ship” for the unmanned aerial systems that are launched when necessary, as losing a million-dollar drone could still be preferable to the loss of a single B-21!

About the Author: Peter Suciu 

Peter Suciu is a Senior Editor focusing on defense issues for 19FortyFive. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,500 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on X: @PeterSuciu – and on Bluesky: @petersuciu.bsky.social.