B-21 Announced

[kristianrj]

http://www.defensenews.com/story/breaki ... /80976160/

Makes you wonder what happened to the B-3 to B-20?

[H.A.Bucken]

I wonder if it's a corruption of, say, a B-2, 'update 1'? An all-new bomber could still be a B-3 I suppose. Running out of computer time so haven't read all the article.
R.P.

[kristianrj]

A bit more here, seems it's a little bit smaller than a B-2 and has lower payload. Cool looking aircraft though.

http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/the-ne ... 1761470901

[kristianrj]

Northrop haven't shown the configuration of the exhausts which is exactly what they did when the B-2 was announced in April 1988:

[Jazz]

Makes you wonder what happened to the B-3 to B-20?

Nothing, we're just not in those centuries!... "The designation B-21 recognizes the LRS-B as the first bomber of the 21st century."

http://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/t ... omber.aspx

[Agent K]

Makes you wonder what happened to the B-3 to B-20?

I think you'll find the B17, 24, 25,26, 29 etc. are somewhat famous....

[Stroudy]

Good to see an impression finally.

I'll take the potential B-1R instead please!

[Bushpilot]

Looks like they thought long an hard about that one

[kristianrj]

Agent K - in the 1962 the US switched to the tri-service designation scheme for their naming conventions, the last bomber under the old system was the XB-70, the first new one was the B-1, the B-2 followed and the next should be the B-3.

Stroudy - I'd prefer a B-1 variant too, something with afterburners and swing wings

[page_verify]

They've released the "first official rendering", rather than the first un-official scribble huh? Looks and sounds like another bomber that can only operate from 3 bases outside of the US....!

[kristianrj]

BAT-21 reference, nice

[quid21]

Someone suggested the name B-21 'Money Pit'!

[scottoz8]

Wonder how many they will buy. The cost of the B2 was horrific.

[thorny1a]

Let's hope the cost's don't spiral like the B-2 or be plagued with delay's like the F-35!

Maybe we'll get a flyby at RIAT 2021 or an RAF order for a squadron at Waddington, living in fantasy world again!

[Vulcanone]

It seems that Boeing and the the Company they teamed up with for the Bid were not happy with the decision and rattled the GAOs cage...

Given what they are already troubled with (Boeing with the KC-46, and LM with DAVE) I can see why the GAO didn't overrule the decision

Hopefully as Northrop are a wee bit adept at the Flying Wing they know what they are doing

T