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B-21 Raider, the Air Force’s new bomber now in development, will have as much in common with its Cold War-era predecessors B-1/B-2/B-52 bombers as the F-35 Lightning II has in common with its World War II-era predecessor P-38 Lightning.
For example, the B-21 represents a significant step forward over the 30-year-old B-2 Spirit, as the B-21 is being designed by Northrop Grumman (who also built the B-2) to survive against the most advanced modern air defense systems such as Russia’s S-400 surface-to-air missile system and China’s J-20 stealth fighter, which entered service in 2017.
The B-21 will be a marvel of contemporary manufacturing that takes advantage of the latest digital capabilities to improve design, manufacturing, and support. Digital development is a new direction in procurement for the Air Force and the Defense Department writ large.
In theory, that shocking expense would be justified if the improved missile prevented a nuclear attack on a dense area of the U.S. But so far, missile defense appears to have motivated China and Russia to invest in more advanced nuclear weapons at lower cost than the U.S. defense systems.
Next-gen intercontinental ballistic missile interceptor estimated to cost nearly $18 billion (U.S. Missile Defense Agency) WASHINGTON The Pentagon’s Next-Generation Interceptor that is being competitively developed to replace the current ground-based interceptors within the United States’ homeland intercontinental ballistic missile defense system is estimated to cost nearly $18 billion across the life of the program. An independent cost estimate from the Defense Department’s Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (CAPE) office first reported by Bloomberg and since obtained by Defense News has determined the total cost to develop the NGI will come to roughly $13 billion while procurement as well as operation and sustainment will come to a little over $2 billion each.