Page 5 - Aerotech News and Review – July 2024

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What you need to know about the B-21 Raider
by Northrop Grumman
Benefitting from more than three decades of strike and stealth technology innovation, the B-21 is the next evolution of the U.S. Air Force strategic bomber fleet and the world’s first sixth-generation aircraft to reach the skies.
The B-21 Raider continues its f light test campaign at Ed- wards Air Force Base, Calif., led by a Combined Test Force made up of Northrop Grum- man and Air Force personnel. CTF pilots indicate the jet is performing as expected with the aircraft flying like the simulator, ref lecting the preci- sion of the digital environment on B-21.
B-21 remains on track to meet its key performance parameter for Average Pro- curement Unit Cost (of $550 million in Base Year 2010 dollars. The government has fixed price production options for the first 21 aircraft. Final
terms, quantity, and pricing beyond the first 21 aircraft are subject to negotiation. The government and Northrop Grumman have established “not to exceed” pricing for an additional 19 aircraft.
The average “not to exceed”value for the subse- quent lots is above the average unit price of the five LRIP lots.
Here is what you need to know about Northrop Grum- man’s B-21 Raider as it contin- ues f light test.
Courtesy photo
• Sixth Generation. The B-21 Raider is setting standards for sixth-generation technology. On the outside, next-gen stealth and advancements in low ob- servable processes will make the aircraft easier and less costly to maintain than prior systems. Inside, the B-21’s open architec- ture will enable rapid upgrad- ability from inclusion of new weapons to software upgrades thanks to advanced networking capabilities and successful cloud environment migration.
• Production Focus. A key strategy of the program was to build a production representa- tive first test aircraft. Rather than a prototype, the B-21 test aircraft is equipped with mis- sion systems and was built by the same manufacturing techni- cians using the same processes and tooling for production aircraft. The body of knowledge and experience gleaned in the development process supports a smooth transition into produc- tion on the path to delivering operational capability.
• A Digital Aircraft. Northrop Grumman uses ag- ile software development and digital engineering tools to mitigate production risk and enable modern sustainment practices for the B-21 program. Ground testing demonstrated the efficacy of digital modeling with results that outperformed industry standards, paving the way for next-gen platforms and systems.
• Advanced Manufactur- ing. By embracing the benefits of advanced manufacturing, Northrop Grumman invested in a digital ecosystem for the B-21 throughout the aircraft’s life- cycle. From training and aug- mented reality tools allowing technicians to visualize tasks and solve problems before ever touching the plane, to easing integration of supplier parts on the aircraft, these advancements have reduced risk, supported ef- ficiency and cultivated expertise throughout the manufacturing workforce.
• Sustainment at the Fore- front. Sustainment was a pro- gram priority throughout the B-21 program’s design phase. In addition to driving effi- ciency over the long term, this approach yields more near- term benefits and sets the B-21 further along on tech data, materiel readiness and train- ing which will benefit the user community upon fielding.
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