The following is the Nov. 13, 2019 Congressional Research Service report, Air Force B-21 Long Range Strike Bomber.
From the Report
The Department of Defense is developing a new long-range bomber aircraft, the B-21 Raider
(previously known as LRS-B), and proposes to acquire at least 100 of them. B-21s would initially
replace the fleets of B-1 and B-2 bombers, and could possibly replace B-52s in the future.
B-21 development was highly classified until the summer of 2015, when the Air Force revealed
initial details of the aircraft and the program. Although technical specifications and other data
remain out of public view, many details of the budget, acquisition strategy, procurement
quantities, and other aspects of the B-21 program are now in the public arena.
The Administration’s FY2020 budget request included $3.0 billion for further development of the
B-21. As passed, the FY2019 defense appropriations bill funded the program at $2.28 billion.
As a large defense program that involves issues of strategic and nuclear policy, as well as
substantial expenditures, the B-21 is likely to be subject to significant congressional interest.
Download the document here.
