US government shutdown delays implementation of B-21
Photo. USAF
The production of the American B-21 Raider bomber is facing difficulties, but the US defense industry and government officials are working to speed up the process and provide the US military with a state-of-the-art bomber fleet by the end of the decade.
The 912th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Edwards Air Force Base in California is preparing to receive the second B-21 Raider bomber, which will undergo a series of tests.
Meanwhile, negotiations to accelerate the entire B-21 program have stalled due to the four-week-long federal government shutdown.
„We are conducting these talks, which have been temporarily slowed down by the government shutdown and limited availability of resources necessary to continue them, but we expect them to resume soon” - said Kathy Warden, president of aircraft manufacturer Northrop Grumman, quoted by the Defense One portal last week.
Time is of the essence
Warden emphasized that the company has already invested significantly in expanding its production capacity and is counting on a quick decision that will allow it to accelerate the production of the world’s most advanced bomber.
„We don’t know how long this situation will last, but we hope it will be resolved soon. Assuming that happens, we do not anticipate a material impact on our financial results. In the meantime, we are focused on executing our programs and meeting our commitments” - she added.
In April, Northrop Grumman reported a one-time loss of nearly $500 million incurred in connection with efforts to increase the bomber’s production rate. In the middle of the year, Congress allocated $5.3 billion for the purchase and research and development of the B-21 as part of the fiscal year 2025 budget, and the company was awarded a second contract to manufacture the first small series of aircraft for testing and initial deployment.
Read more
Purchase plans
Flight testing of the B-21 bomber began in November 2023. Last month, a second test aircraft took to the skies. The first aircraft will be delivered to Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota. The B-21 will thus join the four currently operational US Air Force bombers – alongside the B-52 Stratofortress, B-1B Lancer, and B-2 Spirit – and is expected to be fully deployed by the end of the decade.
According to 2022 data, the estimated unit cost of the aircraft was $700 million.
„The B-21 will be capable of carrying a wide range of weapons, including both stand-off missiles and direct-attack weapons” - the US Air Force said.
They had previously declared their intention to acquire at least 100 B-21s, although some in the Pentagon in Washington are in favor of increasing that number to nearly 150 aircraft. Some defense analysts, however, suggest that the country’s needs could reach at least 250 bombers.
In the spring, General Anthony J. Cotton, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, emphasized that a fleet of 145 B-21 bombers would enable the United States to conduct military operations at the required pace in the event of a possible conflict in the Indo-Pacific region.
„As the customer, I am keen to increase the pace of B-21 production” - Cotton said.
Congress and the Air Force have not disclosed how much the annual production capacity of the bomber assembly line will be increased or how many aircraft Northrop Grumman is currently able to deliver. According to Air Space Forces Magazine, the production rate is approximately seven units per year.
Author: Tomasz Winiarski
