End of B-2 Bomber era is near! Here's how B-21 Raider will take over in future

Introduced in the late 1980s, the B-2 Spirit became the first operational stealth bomber. It has been used in conflicts from Kosovo to Iraq, often striking heavily defended targets that other aircraft could not reach.

Despite its effectiveness, the B-2 is expensive to maintain and operates in very limited numbers. With only 21 built and fewer in active service today, sustaining the fleet is a challenge for the US Air Force.

The B-21 Raider is designed as a more affordable, adaptable, and technologically advanced successor. Built with improved stealth, digital systems, and lower maintenance needs, it aims to provide the same role at reduced long-term cost.

Both aircraft use a flying wing design, but the B-21 incorporates newer materials and systems for radar evasion. It is smaller than the B-2, but designed with modular systems that allow upgrades throughout its service life.

While each B-2 cost more than $2 billion, the B-21 is projected to cost around $700 million per unit. The US plans to build over 100 B-21s, making it a larger fleet compared with the limited B-2 numbers.

The B-21 is being introduced as part of a broader modernisation of the US bomber force, which also includes B-52 upgrades. This signals a shift to a mixed fleet with greater flexibility and longer-term sustainment.

The first B-21 test flights have already taken place, with operational deployment expected later in the decade. As the Raider enters service, the B-2 will gradually retire, marking the end of an era in US air power.