Northrop Grumman B-21 Long Range Strike Bomber Name Contest

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zaphd

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Time to start a betting pool on the nickname of this thing?

I'm going with Condor II. Looking at past bomber names that has got to be one of the most politically correct ones.
 
zaphd said:
Time to start a betting pool on the nickname of this thing?

I'm going with Condor II. Looking at past bomber names that has got to be one of the most politically correct ones.
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You would name a weapon of war after one of Gaia's creatures? How barbaric.
 
I doubt they'll name it 'fortress anything. That's a Boeing thing. After losing this competition, I doubt they're gonna be cool with NG using that.

But for shits n' giggles.... I offer up the name LeMay for the B-21.
 
Triton said:
The B-21 will probably be named for a politician to ensure funding. Northrop Grumman B-21 George W Bush. ;)
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Not if the Democrats get in. B-21 "Jimmy Carter" gets my vote :) After all its gonna cost peanuts....

Changed name of topic in light of new designation.
 
If it wasn't for the NATO code name of the Tu-160... I'd be all for calling it the B-21 Blackjack. ;D
 
RobertWL said:
If it wasn't for the NATO code name of the Tu-160... I'd be all for calling it the B-21 Blackjack. ;D
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The B-21.4 billion dollar Cost-Plus Incentive Fee EMD
 
zaphd said:
Time to start a betting pool on the nickname of this thing?

I'm going with Condor II. Looking at past bomber names that has got to be one of the most politically correct ones.
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I remember a cartoon of a marketing executive facepalming as a junior shows him a rendering of a new sports car called the Lesser Wattled Snipe. "But all the GOOD bird names are already taken!"
 
zaphd said:
Time to start a betting pool on the nickname of this thing?
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Well the original XB-21 was to be the Dragon, until that was allocated to the Douglas design.

I would put my dollar on that name given how they confused the world with the historical-throwback T-6 Texan II..
 
Orionblamblam said:
moonbeamsts said:
Here's my suggestion the Albatross!
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Way I remember it, albatross was a ship's good luck, 'til some idiot killed it.
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B-21 Crossbow? ;D

Keeping up with the something similar to the B-2's name of Spirit and given its resemblance to its forerunner, how about "Doppelgänger"?

If we look at Grumman's tradition of naming aircrafts after big cats, Lynx and Lion are still up for grabbing though.

Other names inspired by mythical creatures could be Griffin, Basilisk and Gorgon.

Regards.
 
Here is my list so far, ...now hanging on the fridge door in the kitchen. ;) ;D

  • B-21 "Dragon (II)"
  • B-21 "Condor"

In my Whif-World, the "Northrop Grumman FB-23" had the official nickname "Dragon 2".
While then stationed in Japan during a China/DPRK conflict, it got by locals the unofficial nickname "Godzilla".

So maybe in real world we might have the same situation and the same name-giving for the B-21. ;) B) :D

  • B-21 "Freedom"
I know that the US has already the Freedom-class littoral combat ship.
 
CiTrus90 said:
Keeping up with the something similar to the B-2's name of Spirit and given its resemblance to its forerunner, how about "Doppelgänger"?
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Hell. No. If they did the nut jobs would be thinking the Nazis designed it for sure.

CiTrus90 said:
If we look at Grumman's tradition of naming aircrafts after big cats, Lynx and Lion are still up for grabbing though.

Other names inspired by mythical creatures could be Griffin, Basilisk and Gorgon.

Regards.
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I like Basilisk but that could be too obscure for many. How about Reap. . .dammit, already taken. Condor? Nah, that's a scavenger bird. . . I like Dragon Slayer if only to piss off the Chinese. (Of course that's not PC -can't have a weapon of war named anything too aggressive- so that'd never happen.) Liberator 2 ain't bad.
 
We could rekindle a General's passion against an aircraft being named from a children's show. (F-16 Viper) How about Night Fury.
 
Based on some old Grumman names I liked

Avenger II
Guardian II

Based on the commercial

Shadow

Other thoughts

Shadow Hunter
Snow Leopard
Night Owl
Nemesis
Nemeses
Hell Hawks - perhaps un-officially
Chimera
Griffin
Velociraptor
 
In keeping with the American tendency of creating a US version of a British original aircraft name (like the F-35 Lightning II):​

Vulcan II - the next "V" bomber​
 
Richard N said:
In keeping with the American tendency of creating a US version of a British original aircraft name (like the F-35 Lightning II):​

Vulcan II - the next "V" bomber​
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Before this beauty, personally one of my favourite aircrafts ever built:
EE_Lightning_F3-40.jpg


There was this one too:
Lockheed_P-38_Lightning_USAF.JPG


On a side note, it's unfortunate it won't be the people that designed the bird and will build it, the ones to name it.

I personally think the team that developed the aircraft should have the right to choose its name, nobody could be more qualified in picking an apt designation that may embody the characteristics of their creation.

The same goes for calling it the B-21. Really, calling it the B-21 just because it's the first bomber of the 21st century makes no sense.
Following this logic what will be the next bomber's designation?

Not B-22 i suppose, to avoid confusion with the F-22. B-23? Reusing the number allocated for the YF-23? Or we'll go back to B-24, B-25, B-26?

Or we skip it completely and go to B-27. But on this train of thought that should be the new bomber for the 27th century...

This is the kind of silliness bound to happen when politics mixes with technical sectors.

Regards.
 
Back when we were all younger you could run through 30 numerations in short order (F-86-F-111, B-29-52). With the way our procurement process is going, the B-22 could be the first bomber of the 22nd century...
 
Richard N said:
In keeping with the American tendency of creating a US version of a British original aircraft name (like the F-35 Lightning II):​

Vulcan II - the next "V" bomber​
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I like that suggestion. :)
 
NeilChapman said:
Snow Leopard
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That's what the Chinese would name a plane. Or maybe snow rabbit.

For the B-21, a hawk-based name seems appropriate since it also looks like a bird of pray. Nighthawk II, to go with the role and pedigree. Or Merlin.
 
Explanation for the B-21 designation: "B" for Bomber + the number of B-2s built = B-21

How about "Bloody Paralyzer" from "These early experiences prompted the RNAS to order the development of a bomber capable of carrying a large bomb-load. In Suerter's words, the RNAS needed "a bloody paralyzer of an aeroplane." http://www.firstworldwar.com/airwar/bombers_britain.htm
 
Northrop traditionally names aircraft for stingy, bitey things and this IS a Northrop plane not a Grumman one.

In that vein and considering the importance of the plane to the USA I would suggest the B-21 "Rattlesnake" as in the Gadsen Flag and other American revolutionary symbology. The triangular shape of the coiled rattlesnake would work well with the planform shaping and another name variant is the "Diamondback" (Crotalus Atrox). And if the B-21 has something interesting in the beaver tail then that's another win on the name being appropriate front. Plus lets not forget that the Rattlesnake will hunt its prey by following it down its hole to kill and consume it. A good analogue for hunting down hidden ICBMs and WMDs stashed underground by various badguys.
 
Given the usual political choices for names and the seemingly irrational naming conventions now followed my favoured options would be:
Historical revival - B-21 Liberator II
Unsubtle name but based on its role - B21 Penetrator
 
B-2 point 1 Reboot. I still can't figure out how this program got approved (politically). Something for a future FOIA I suppose.
 
Well. Since each B-2 is named, we could follow the same precedent.

I therefore propose renaming the bomber the GSV (Global Strike Vehicle). Then we could have names such as GSV "Wait 'till your father gets home" or GSV "Pleased to be of service".

(Runs for cover.)
 
sferrin said:
I like Dragon Slayer if only to piss off the Chinese.
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And potentially Taiwan as well. And imagine if China named the J-20 the Eagle Killer. Besides, not too sure about naming it after something it hasn't quite done just yet. ;)

What are some typical Northrop names?
P-61 Black Widow
T-38 Talon
F-5E Tiger
YF-17 Cobra
B-2 Spirit

But it seems like the days where the contractor decides on aircraft name has passed.
 

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