JAKARTA - Northrop Grumman Corp officially launched the B-21 Raider jet, a long-range stealth nuclear bomber for the United States Air Force on Friday.
The B-21 bomber launched in a ceremony at Northrop's Plant 42, Palmdale, California, showing the public first look at the new bomber.
The B-21, which carries a flying wing similar to its predecessor, B-2, will be able to deliver conventional and nuclear weapons worldwide, using long-range and air refueling capabilities.
The aircraft is projected to cost around 550 million each in 2010 dollars, or about 750 million in the US dollar that is tailored to current inflation.
The Air Force plans to buy at least 100 planes and start replacing B-1 and B-2 bombers.
Northrop beat Boeing Co and Lockheed Martin Corp, when they won a 2015 contract to make bombers. Machine makers Pratt & Whitney, Collins Aerospace, GKN Aerospace, BAE Systems, and Spirit Aerosystems are among the more than 400 suppliers in 40 states.
Northrop calls the aircraft the sixth generation of aircraft, given its ability to connect to other aircraft and easily integrate future weapons into the system's architecture.
The presentation provides the first video and photo images of the new bomber. Previously, only the artist's rendering had been published.
"With the US Air Force B-21, it will ward off and defeat threats anywhere in the world," said Northrop CEO and President Grumman
Currently, six aircraft are in various assemblies, with their inaugural flights expected in mid-2023. More than 8,000 people from Northrop Grumman, industry partners, and the Air Force are currently working on the program.
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