Documents
United States Northrop Grumman
B-21 Raider
Next-generation stealth strategic bomber designed to succeed the B-1 and B-2, first flown in 2023 and entering low-rate production. Built for dual nuclear-conventional roles and optionally-manned operation.
In service since 2023 · 1 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
850
km/h
15,240
m ceiling
9,072
kg payload
💲 ≈ $692,000,000, FY2022 average procurement unit cost estimate
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Limited · 1 operator
In service since 2023. Status: active · ~6 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$1.7B – $2.4B
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~35 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the B-21 Raider can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance. | 850 km/h |
|---|---|
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 0.9 Mach |
| Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon. | 15,240 m |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Hardpoints External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts. | 1 |
|---|---|
| Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie. | 9,072 kg |
Protection
Armor, countermeasures and survivability.
| Signature reduction Radar cross-section shaping, RAM coatings, IR suppression. Actual RCS values are classified. | Flying-wing low-observable design, next-generation radar-absorbent materials |
|---|
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 16.46 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span. | 45.72 m |
| Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew. | 31,751 kg |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 81,647 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 2 |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | Pratt & Whitney PW9000 |
|---|---|
| Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost. | 2 |
| Thrust Total engine thrust (with afterburner where applicable). | 240 kN |
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Non-afterburning turbofan |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $692,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 6 |
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 1 |
Specifications compiled from public Northrop Grumman and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Tupolev Tu-160 Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider? +
The Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider has a maximum speed of 850 km/h.
What is the weapons payload of the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider? +
The Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider can carry up to 9,072 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider weigh? +
The Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider has a combat weight of 81,647 kg.
How many crew does the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider require? +
The Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider requires a crew of 2.
What engine does the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider use? +
The Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider is powered by the Pratt & Whitney PW9000.
What is the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider used for? +
The Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider is a bomber typically used for deep strike.
How many countries operate the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider? +
The Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider is operated by 1 countries.
How much does the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider cost? +
The Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider has an approximate unit cost of 692,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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B-21 Raider in the news
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