The Air Force designated the Long Range Strike Bomber (LRSB) B-21 while an artist’s rendering released Friday shows similarities to the B-2 and another experimental aircraft platform from the early days of aviation.
Air Force Secretary Deborah James told reporters Friday at the Air Force Association’s (AFA) winter Air Warfare Symposium she chose B-21 after conferring with Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh and others. James said the B-21 designation represents a bomber for the 21st century.
Welsh said while the artist’s rendering looks much like the B-2, it also looks like the YB-49 from the late 1940s. The YB-49, developed by Northrop Grumman predecessor Northrop Corp., was the jet-propelled variant of the company’s XB-35 bomber, according to the Federation of American Scientists. Eight Allison J35 engines, each delivering 3,750 pounds of thrust, gave the flying wing a top speed of 510 mph, or more than 100 mph faster than its propeller-driven predecessor.
The Air Force said in a statement while there are no existing prototypes of the aircraft, the artist’s rendering is based on the initial design concept. The program recently entered into the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase and the Air Force plans to field the initial capability of the aircraft in the mid-2020s.
While James’ ceremonial unveiling of the new bomber’s designation and artist’s rendering drew applause during her keynote speech here, it will receive a chilly reception from one key lawmaker. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) assailed the service on Thursday for its cost-plus contract and classification. McCain vowed to not authorize spending for the program as long as it remains under a costplus contracting structure.
The Air Force has a pair of hearings in front of SASC this week: a closed hearing on Tuesday for LRSB and a posture hearing on Thursday.
