The successful launch marks the next step in the deployment of Northrop Grumman’s new fleet of nuclear-capable long-range stealth bombers.
The B-21 became the first model of a new series of bombers, the development of which is carried out in the strictest secrecy. The aircraft will be capable of transporting conventional and nuclear weapons around the world using long- and medium-range refueling capabilities.
According to preliminary estimates, the cost of each plane will be about $750 million. However, the Air Force keeps financial information secret, “making it difficult to confirm the proposed cost,” according to a 2021 Congressional Research Service report.
The US Air Force plans to purchase at least 100 of these aircraft and begin replacing their predecessors, the B-1 and B-2 bombers. The B-1 costs about $60,000 per hour to operate, while the B-2 costs $65,000 per hour, according to the Pentagon.