Air Force Considers Dumping Costly B-21 for Constantly Updated Fleet of Drones
The biggest concern for the US Air Force is if takes over 15 years to build its full order of even just 100 B-21 Raiders then the new stealth bomber could be outdated before the last get made. Technology is increasing at a rapid rate. Artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, quantum computers, autonomous systems, etc. – are evolving constantly, and many of the current platforms could likely be obsolete by the time the platforms reach full-rate production (FRP).
Autonomous wingman drones could be made faster, at lower cost which would enable a constantly updated fleet.
Despite secrecy and security measures, only 24-30 B-21s are expected to be operational in the next decade, leading to concerns about adequate numbers for potential conflicts with China and Russia.
There are currently at least six prototype Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider bombers in various stages of production.
The first six are coming in at about the $550-600 million that was budgeted. However, inflation of 25%+ could force higher prices for later units. The problem is there is a 1983 law that re-examines military procurement when budget overruns rise over 15% (the Nunn-McCurdy Act).
Northrop Grumman reported a nearly $1.6 billion pre-tax charge on the B-21 Raider program in the last quarter of 2023, as the stealth bomber moved into its low-rate initial production phase.