US Army Unveils Futuristic New Stealth Bomber B-21 Raider Self-Portrait by Max Beckmann Raises $20 Million at Auction

The US military has unveiled a new fighter jet that has been in development for years. In the presence of US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, US manufacturer Northrop Grumman’s B-21 Raider stealth bomber was unveiled Friday (local time) at the heavily guarded military development facility in Palmdale, north of Los Angeles, California.

Immersed in blue light and accompanied by film music and applause, the bomber was pulled from a hangar, a Washington Post reporter described the process, where media representatives were allowed to attend under strict conditions. With its squat, flowing shape from the cockpit to the wings, the B-21 is reminiscent of a cinematic UFO show – or even bat wings straight out of the “Batman” fleet.

The B-21 is designed to carry and drop both conventional and nuclear munitions with impressive precision, Secretary of Defense Austin said in a speech. 50 years of low visibility flying object technology has poured into the stealth jet. “Even the most advanced air defense systems will struggle to see the B-21 in the air.” In addition, the bomber has been developed in such a way that it can be well maintained and can serve for a long time, says Austin.

According to the Washington Post, the futuristic bomber is currently in a ground test phase. A first test flight is planned for next year. The U.S. Air Force is planning to have at least 100 units then, it said. That brings the estimated cost of the program to at least $80 billion, with projected costs rising repeatedly in recent years, the U.S. Air Force said. (sda/dpa)