Raider's program. Who's new enemy bombard B-21 (this is not Russia)
This means that the US Armed Forces-and, of course, US taxpayers-will reimburse companies additional expenses that it experiences in connection with the inflation of the US Armed Forces intends to support the B-21 RAIDER program according to the schedule and within the budget, despite the potential increase The expenses that the general contractor warned is Northrop Grumman.
Developed to replace the B-1 Lancer and B-2 Spirit, B-21 seeks to avoid excessive expenses that could violate the Nanna-Mackerdi law. Focus translated the article about the paradoxical rival of the newest bomber B-21 Raider. The US Air Force has made every effort to ensure that the future foundation of their bombers will remain within the schedule and the budget, even when Northrop Grumman-the main contractor B-21 Raider-warned about the possible increase in the cost of the aircraft.
The B-21 program has been planned from the beginning to avoid violation of the Nunn-McCurdy ACT Act, which can occur due to the uncontrolled cost of development. This law, which was adopted in 1983, enables legislators to manage the cost of major defense programs, since it requires to inform legislators from the Pentagon in case of exceeding the cost or schedule of the program by more than 15%.
The future bomber was designed to replace the outdated B-1 Lancer and B-2 Spirit aircraft, which are currently in service, and to work with the older B-52. In January, Raider entered the stage of small -scale initial production (LRIP) and, although it is an expensive aircraft, the manufacturer Northrop Grumman announced this spring, which expects at this stage of loss. According to theavationist. com, the aerospace company can lose up to $ 1. 56 billion in the production of the first Raider.
As a result, only 21 aircraft are expected of the first five b-21 batch parties. The Raider program is expected to provide more than 100 bombers, while most of their production will be carried out under the cost of Plus. This means that the US Air Force - and, of course, US taxpayers - will reimburse companies the additional expenses it experiences in connection with inflation.
As previously reported, the cost seems to be increasing, and the program risks not reaching the expected minimum in 100 bombers even until the end of the 2030s. The Air Force expects that by the early 2030s, 24 to 30 "raiders" will be adopted, and the rate of procurement will reach a peak during this period-about 10 aircraft a year.
According to Mark Ganzinger, director of future concepts of the Mitchell Aerospace Institute and the participant of the discussion on AFA, the current plan of the Ministry of Defense (DOD) provides that by 2033, the bombard park will have 133 aircraft-even less than 141 Bombard. -2 and B-52 Stratofortress, which are now in service, which is already a minimum in the history of the Air Force.
The most concern is now the maintenance of aircraft for 15 years, which will be needed by the US Air Force to obtain the entire party consisting of at least a hundred B-21 Raider. Technologies develop at a rapid pace. Artificial intelligence (AI), machine training, quantum computers, autonomous systems, etc. are constantly developing, but many of the current platforms can be obsolete at a time when they reach full -scale production (FRP).
The Air Force has already stated that they would seek the development of autonomous drones - expensive "faithful helpers" without thinking that such platforms should remain in service for decades. At the Conference of the Air Force Association, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force General David Olvin said: "I do not need a park of collective combat aircraft, which will last 25-30 years. If the aircraft serves 25 or 30 years, it should do everything except toast in the morning.
" Therefore, the air forces may have to put up with a harsh reality: the production of expensive bombers will take too long, so at the time when they are armed, they will be already outdated equipment, which will agree except for the preparation of toast. Peter Suchyu is a journalist from Michigan. During his twenty -year journalistic career, he participated in the work of more than four dozen magazines, newspapers and websites, publishing more than 3,200 materials.