Selling the B-21 Raider Would Be a Big Mistake

Abstract and Key Factors:

-The suggestion to export the B-21 Raider’s applied sciences to allies is deemed reckless as a consequence of important dangers to U.S. nationwide safety.

The B-21 introduces superior stealth and networking applied sciences that ought to stay unique to the U.S. to keep up its strategic deterrence and technological edge.

Sharing such delicate applied sciences might result in potential theft by adversaries like China and Russia, undermining U.S. army benefits.

The Pentagon should defend the B-21’s capabilities to make sure the efficacy of its nuclear triad and total nationwide safety.

Don’t Promote the B-21 Raider To Anybody 

The suggestion that the U.S. ought to share or export the extremely delicate applied sciences woven into the brand new B-21 Raider stealth bomber with allies, might arguably be seen as considerably reckless and probably even irresponsible. 

Whereas certainly there could also be monetary and security-related benefits to exporting the B-21 and constructing an allied coalition with stealth bombing functionality, the dangers to U.S. nationwide safety appear extraordinarily important. No a part of the extremely refined “black” B-21 program ought to go away the U.S. below any circumstances, because the very survival of the U.S. arguably depends upon a safe, established, and unparalleled skill to carry any goal in danger, anyplace on the earth, at any time. 

Senior Air Power leaders have been clear for years that the platform introduces a brand new technology of stealth expertise, computing, sensing, and networking applied sciences. For apparent safety causes, these want to stay unique to the US.

B-21 Raider stealth bomber. Picture Credit score: Inventive Commons picture of B-2 stealth bomber from U.S. Air Power modified.

In fact, there may be nice added worth in allied cooperation and joint, multinational developmental packages for each safety and financial causes, but one thing just like the B-21 would appear far too delicate to threat in any method. 

B-21 Raider For Sale? 

One might draw parallels to the rising and impactful world F-35 alliance and make the case that it could serve U.S. pursuits to domesticate a multi-national allied power of networked stealth bombers, but there are numerous causes to hesitate or view such an idea with skepticism.

Whereas the F-35 clearly comprises extremely delicate distinctive applied sciences, a few of that are seemingly not out there for public consumption, but the just about absolutely “black” B-21 program seemingly entails a completely new technology of distinctive, delicate stealth applied sciences. 

There’s widespread consensus and documented concern that F-35 specs and applied sciences have been stolen by the Chinese language. Does the U.S. need to take the same threat with one thing just like the B-21? Whereas particulars should not out there, the B-21 is a platform which will carry an unprecedented benefit to U.S. deterrence, posture, and stealth assault functionality.

This might spotlight the significance of securing and defending its delicate applied sciences to make sure any profit it supplies stays distinctive to the U.S. and never susceptible to theft from nice energy adversaries. 

Preserving a stealth benefit is especially crucial given the extent to which Russian and Chinese language air defenses have developed with a reported skill to trace some stealth platforms. Russian-built defenses such because the S-400s and S-500s are more and more networked, longer-range, extra exact, and able to detecting plane on a wider vary of frequencies.

For this reason, for instance, the Pentagon is upgrading the B-2 with superior sensors known as the Defensive Administration System, designed to assist crews find and subsequently keep away from superior air protection programs. 

Artist picture of B-2 Spirit. The B-21 Raider will look related.

Given all of this, ought to the B-21 incorporate applied sciences offering an unparalleled, distinctive stealth expertise benefit, the Pentagon can be nicely served to make each effort to guard and safeguard the benefit for its personal nationwide safety.  

Lastly, it could appear tough to engineer a suitable “export” variant of the B-21 as is finished with many U.S. programs such because the Abrams tank or F-16 fighter as a result of so lots of the B-21’s applied sciences are seemingly virtually fully new and probably paradigm-changing.

Picture of B-2 Bomber. Picture Credit score: Inventive Commons.

Added to this equation is the important thing factor to which the Pentagon’s stealth bomber fleet contributes the air leg to the nation’s nuclear triad. A capability to carry an important energy, nuclear-capable adversary in danger with secret stealth nuclear air assault brings functionality is an irreplaceable factor to the Pentagon’s deterrence posture. In a situation the place nuclear-armed submarines or ICBMs are unavailable or rendered inoperative by an adversary in a nuclear confrontation, a succesful air leg of the nuclear triad might guarantee U.S. survival. 

The B-21 shouldn’t be shared with any allies, below any circumstances, for any motive. 

In regards to the Creator: Kris Osborn

Kris Osborn is the Army Affairs Editor of 19FortyFive and President of Warrior Maven – Middle for Army Modernization. Osborn beforehand served on the Pentagon as a Extremely Certified Knowledgeable with the Workplace of the Assistant Secretary of the Military—Acquisition, Logistics & Expertise. Osborn has additionally labored as an anchor and on-air army specialist at nationwide TV networks. He has appeared as a visitor army skilled on Fox Information, MSNBC, The Army Channel, and The Historical past Channel. He additionally has a Masters Diploma in Comparative Literature from Columbia College.