Northrop Grumman B-21A Raider (LRS-B)

[Hansblix]

Say what you will about ATS but this comment from someone who caused quite a commotion and a lot to back it, said this in 2014 and a lot of other stuff. Almost 10 years ago.

 

[seruriermarshal]

The U.S. Air Force released new photos of the B-21 Raider bomber.

 

[FighterJock]

The U.S. Air Force released new photos of the B-21 Raider bomber.

View attachment 695091

View attachment 695090

Very smart, getting a better view of the top of the B-21 from the second photo.

 

[Josh_TN]

Surprisingly revealing look down at the intakes. Still unclear what the tale configuration is...it almost looks saw tooth, but that could be a bulge associated with the engine cowling.

 

[dark sidius]

What a beauty

 

[Trident]

Surprisingly revealing look down at the intakes.

... or not revealing at all, given the fact that it shows covers installed complete with hand holds

 

[TomcatViP]

Is that really two removable panels obstructing the inlet duct? What kind of shape can it be behind? An inverted V?

Notice. Also that the wings have strange ailerons. Hard to see but possibly effectors on the trailing edge of the outboard sections.

 

[TomS]

The U.S. Air Force released new photos of the B-21 Raider bomber.

View attachment 695091

View attachment 695090

Very smart, getting a better view of the top of the B-21 from the second photo.

It's got some wide-angle lens effect happening, probably making it look like a steeper sweep angle than it really is.

Surprisingly revealing look down at the intakes. Still unclear what the tale configuration is...it almost looks saw tooth, but that could be a bulge associated with the engine cowling.

Revealing look at a set of inlet covers. You can't see anything interesting.

 

[VTOLicious]

I get a headache if I stare at those air intakes for too long

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

I attempted to pull as much info as possible from the picture.



Our analysis of the intake shape was spot on.

 

[Josh_TN]

Surprisingly revealing look down at the intakes.

... or not revealing at all, given the fact that it shows covers installed complete with hand holds

Well I meant the external shape.
The roll out was at such a low angle it was hard to even determine the shape of the intake. But basically it seems to follow all the official renderings. I have to admit I'm a little surprised they won't show the basic shape of the tail; makes me think the exhaust is very integrated with the topside surface of the tail and that we won't be viewing that angle in any official photos ever...

 

[pedrospe]

I attempted to pull as much info as possible from the picture.

View attachment 695094

Our analysis of the intake shape was spot on.

The shape of the wings, kind reminds me of the X-45c

 

[NeilChapman]

What is that little symbol in front of the nose gear?

 

[Josh_TN]

I believe it is a Northrup-Gruman logo.

 

[TomS]

I believe it is a Northrup-Gruman logo.

Yep. Same one seen on the X-47B

https://twitter.com/x/status/1599014081909825537

View: https://twitter.com/MechDesignxyz/status/1599014081909825537

 

[flateric]

What is that little symbol in front of the nose gear?

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/northrop-grumman-b-21a-raider-lrs-b.25915/post-567133

 

[Rhinocrates]

It's a combination of the pre-merger logos - seen on the X-47 too. (HT Pyhrric Victory https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/northrop-grumman-x-47b-ucas-d.2563/page-3)

 

[Rhinocrates]

Not the first time Northrop people have indulged in some nostalgia - the Black Widow II.

 

[jeffb]

Tyler Rogoway's write up of the new B-21 pics:

B-21 Raider Seen From Above In New Image

As the B-21 creeps towards its first flight, still slated for later this year, we are getting new looks at it and new insights.

www.thedrive.com

 

[La-Fuente Technologies]

If this guy is correct, then no wonder why the first revealed photo has the same lighting and background as the latest photos

https://twitter.com/x/status/1633147455322865666

View: https://twitter.com/ryankakiuchan/status/1633147455322865666


Compare Center view:
And slightly top view:

 

[TMA1]

It is a lovely thing. Cannot wait for better images of it's skin. Ceramic smooth.

 

[sublight_]

Say what you will about ATS but this comment from someone who caused quite a commotion and a lot to back it, said this in 2014 and a lot of other stuff. Almost 10 years ago.

It sounds like he saw RQ-180 development or laid eyes on the asset and made some correct assumptions about where it was eventually going. However, AFOSI will find this guy and make sure he never works in the defense industry again.

 

[La-Fuente Technologies]

It is a lovely thing. Cannot wait for better images of it's skin. Ceramic smooth.

Seems rather unusually white in color. Could just be its bare skin, but maybe they're opting for a form of passive camouflage wherein it can kinda mask itself against a bright white cloudy sky from certain angles (Obviously not above, due to their shadows)

Then again, it's probably just the lighting at the hangar. Might have to see it under the Sun to fully get its natural color look

 

[TomS]

It is a lovely thing. Cannot wait for better images of it's skin. Ceramic smooth.

Seems rather unusually white in color. Could just be its bare skin, but maybe they're opting for a form of passive camouflage wherein it can kinda mask itself against a bright white cloudy sky?

I think it's just overexposed or had the white balance messed with in Photoshop. None of these pics are RAWs.

 

[sferrin]

Looks CH-53K Gray.

 

[sferrin]

The U.S. Air Force released new photos of the B-21 Raider bomber.

View attachment 695091

View attachment 695090

Looks even more confusing than the original pictures.

 

[La-Fuente Technologies]

I think it's just overexposed or had the white balance messed with in Photoshop. None of these pics are RAWs.

I see. Maybe it might have a greyish kind of coloring in reality, which would make more sense as current versions of RAM seems to be greyish in color now.

Looks even more confusing than the original pictures.

Could be far more intentional for all we know.

 

[Josh_TN]

Are we even sure that this is the final color of the aircraft? In any case I would expect it to be a standard grey paint scheme, given that these are intended to be daily drivers compared to the B-2s which or more of Formula 1 in terms of maintenance.

 

[La-Fuente Technologies]

Are we even sure that this is the final color of the aircraft? In any case I would expect it to be a standard grey paint scheme, given that these are intended to be daily drivers compared to the B-2s which or more of Formula 1 in terms of maintenance.

Possibly F-35 Grey colors, or a different color, since they will have RAM coatings that are revolutionary even compared to the F-35 ones.

 

[jeffb]

Are we even sure that this is the final color of the aircraft? In any case I would expect it to be a standard grey paint scheme, given that these are intended to be daily drivers compared to the B-2s which or more of Formula 1 in terms of maintenance.

I thought it was primer. Would they wheel it out with RAM on it?

 

[bobbymike]

U.S. Air Force Reveals New B-21 Design Details | Aviation Week Network

The image, which the U.S. Air Force published on March 7, reveals for the first time that the inlets are shaped like sideways teardrops.

aviationweek.com

 

[quellish]

Possibly F-35 Grey colors, or a different color, since they will have RAM coatings that are revolutionary even compared to the F-35 ones.

RAM and RAM coatings come in many colors. Many forms of magnetic RAM are dark grey due to the iron content. Some are even pink or tan.

Stealth aircraft are coated in a “stack” of different layers of coating. RAM is just one (or more) of them. RAM is almost never the layer that is visible, that is a colored top coat. The color of the aircraft has nothing to do with the RAM coating.

 

[La-Fuente Technologies]

Possibly F-35 Grey colors, or a different color, since they will have RAM coatings that are revolutionary even compared to the F-35 ones.

RAM and RAM coatings come in many colors. Many forms of magnetic RAM are dark grey due to the iron content. Some are even pink or tan.

Stealth aircraft are coated in a “stack” of different layers of coating. RAM is just one (or more) of them. RAM is almost never the layer that is visible, that is a colored top coat. The color of the aircraft has nothing to do with the RAM coating.

I see. Then I suppose there's another reason for the rather bright color of the B-21. It might come back to the passive camoflauge theory, but until we see it in natural eye colors, we should treat the color of the images with a grain of salt for the time being.

 

[Manuducati]

Possibly F-35 Grey colors, or a different color, since they will have RAM coatings that are revolutionary even compared to the F-35 ones.

RAM and RAM coatings come in many colors. Many forms of magnetic RAM are dark grey due to the iron content. Some are even pink or tan.

Stealth aircraft are coated in a “stack” of different layers of coating. RAM is just one (or more) of them. RAM is almost never the layer that is visible, that is a colored top coat. The color of the aircraft has nothing to do with the RAM coating.

I see. Then I suppose there's another reason for the rather bright color of the B-21. It might come back to the passive camoflauge theory, but until we see it in natural eye colors, we should treat the color of the images with a grain of salt for the time being.

Light grey/creamy white for stealthy platform flying mainly high altitude missions (both day and night) isn't particularly surprising or never seen before.
Of course it can be argued that some of those examples are just mock-ups or demonstrators.

From https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zo...light-in-pastel-camouflage-40-years-ago-today
About F-117 camouflage testing:
"(...) an overall light gray scheme, which was reportedly found to be much more effective for concealing the jet both on the ground and in the air"
(...)
"Ultimately, all five of the full-scale development machines received the gray scheme and it seems that Lockheed at one point envisaged that all production aircraft would be painted the same way, too."

 

[La-Fuente Technologies]

Light grey/creamy white for stealthy platform flying mainly high altitude missions (both day and night) isn't particularly surprising or never seen before.
Of course it can be argued that some of those examples are just mock-ups or demonstrators.

From https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zo...light-in-pastel-camouflage-40-years-ago-today
About F-117 camouflage testing:
"(...) an overall light gray scheme, which was reportedly found to be much more effective for concealing the jet both on the ground and in the air"
(...)
"Ultimately, all five of the full-scale development machines received the gray scheme and it seems that Lockheed at one point envisaged that all production aircraft would be painted the same way, too."

I see. Given that it is one of the earliest B-21s in production, then it's likely a demonstrator or a prototype model. It probably won't have all the bells and whistles that the production B-21 would have but it can be used for testing these things in the first place.

 

[flateric]

I see. Given that it is one of the earliest B-21s in production, then it's likely a demonstrator or a prototype model. It probably won't have all the bells and whistles that the production B-21 would have but it can be used for testing these things in the first place.

 

[La-Fuente Technologies]

I see. Given that it is one of the earliest B-21s in production, then it's likely a demonstrator or a prototype model. It probably won't have all the bells and whistles that the production B-21 would have but it can be used for testing these things in the first place.

View attachment 695384

Whether that was actually achieved or not remains to be seen. Even if the so-called "production-representive" model would have been used for testing, there may be some technologies that would not be fully added until they actually go into production. Though I am for the shortening of test periods and quick deployment of new aircraft because of course, it seems like we're going into a new cold war, and we need new forms of military might to have a good deterrence against our adversaries.

 

[flateric]

Your posts in NGAD and B-21 topics are endless "would", "likely", "probably", "remains to be seen", producing pages and pages of text. If you was Richard Aboulafia or Bill Sweetman, it would be interesting, but so far it's endless "we don't know, but may be we will know, or we will never know etc.".

 

[Hydroman]

The B-21 is following the B-2 model to the tee. No demonstrator, built on production tooling, 4 to 6 flight test vehicles. Northrop is known for doing its homework early on (I know this first hand) in any program involving aircraft development (Tacit Blue, B-2, YF-23, RQ-180, B-21, others). As an example and I may be wrong, I don't think you will see visible air data ports on the B-21, new method for air data, control and stability, my prediction. NGC has a penchant for very advanced technology, they just keep it low-key.

 

[flateric]

https://www.baesystems.com/en/blog/lassi-laser-air-speed-sensing-instrument