Analysis: The B-21 Raider’s Critical Numbers Game

Air Force photo

The Air Force’s B-21 Raider is designed to prevail against robust air defenses, deliver precision weapons on targets deep in enemy territory and return its two-man crew safely home.

But a bigger challenge as the program moves forward is whether the program can prevail in the yearly Defense Department battles over funding, keep its costs down and deliver the 100 aircraft the Air Force says it needs to maintain its edge over adversaries.

Air Force and Northrop Grumman officials at the B-21 roll-out ceremony in Palmdale, California, gave an upbeat assessment of not only the program’s current costs, but how much funding it will require in the future.

Andrew Hunter, Air Force undersecretary for acquisition, technology and logistics, told reporters that so far, the program is “tracking well” on cost and schedule.

“One of the key aspects of this program is that we had a very firm cost target. That is a requirement for the program. And that will support our ability to deliver the number of aircraft we need to truly perform the missions that are outlined in the National Defense Strategy,” he said.

The program kicked off 12 years ago with a requirement for 100 aircraft at a cost of $550 million each in…