The Americans sent a message to the enemy forces. They unveiled the B-21 with great fanfare Raidertheir new bomber built and designed to respond to possible attacks from China and Russia.
Launched on Friday, the B-21 is to become a key part of the American “nuclear triad”, made up of missiles and bombs that can be launched from land, sea or air.
“We needed a new bomber for the 21st century that would allow us to face threats that we fear one day will face from China, from Russia,” said Deborah Lee James, Secretary of the US Air Force, as reported in the New York Post.
The aircraft from manufacturer Northrop Grumman is capable of being operated unmanned and conducting long-range nuclear strikes. In addition, the materials used make Raidera device that is very difficult to detect by foreign air defense systems.
Photo Frederic J. BROWN / AFP
After years of undercover research, the B-21 Raider was unveiled Friday in a ceremony at US Air Force Hangar 42 in Palmdale, California. It is the first bomber manufactured for more than 30 years.
“It’s not just another plane,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. It is the embodiment of America’s determination to defend the republic we all love. »
This new aircraft has “a range that no other long-range bomber can match,” Mr. Austin also added.
China and Russia too
Even if the United States pulled out all the stops to impress the gallery during the presentation in Palmdale, California, expert Normand Lester doubts the impact of the “smoke show” on other powers. “We know that the Russians and the Chinese are working on similar projects,” he says.
According to international media, China might very soon unveil its own device capable of dropping nuclear missiles. “The next generation intercontinental stealth bomber, the Xian H-20 looks just like the B-21. The Russians also have a similar project,” explains Normand Lester.
In a report released this week, the Pentagon said China was on track to have 1,500 nuclear weapons by 2035.
$700 million per unit
The costs of this American bomber are estimated at nearly US$700 million per unit and the Pentagon plans to buy at least 100 copies. The B-21 should make its first flight in 2023. The new model should gradually replace the B-1 and B-2 bombers, whose first take-offs date back to the Cold War.
The surname, Raideris inspired by the raid led by Colonel James Doolittle to bomb Tokyo in 1942 in retaliation for the attack on Pearl Harbor.
-With AFP