I thought it was clear in last December that not.I think it's still got the B-2 "Toothpick" LE shape...
OMG! Bill Sweetman returns to AW&ST!
https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/aircraft-propulsion/b-21-raider-designed-low-risk
Not to mention ONLY TWO ENGINES, even if they are a pair of F135s sans afterburners.We don't truly know how many bays it has, though I think the predominant opinion has always been that it had a single B-2 sized bay given the smaller size and more narrow separation of the engines.
I think you can stuff 24x 1kpdrs in there with the SBA, but it's ~16klbs with 8x 2kpdrs. 30k with the GBU-57.Certainly that is my feeling. USAF has however stated that the warload was to be 30,000 lbs rather than the 20,000 Bill Sweetman estimates, though in practice I suspect 20,000 is the actual working war load and 30,000 is only with a GBU-57.
That's what I've been assuming from the beginning, that the B-21 is really a medium bomber with strategic range. One bay, with an AGM86B length.Assuming the rack systems of a B-2 and only one bay, most loads would be 20k ish. MOP would be more. A rack system with ~100 SBD II would be 20,000 but SDB would be 30,000. The B-2 can apparently carry a pair of GBU-57, so it apparently can sacrifice fuel for a heavier than nominal load and I’d expect the B-21 to be able to make the same sacrifice. But roughly speaking, half a B-2 seems like a good rule of thumb based on what little we know.
That's what I've been assuming from the beginning, that the B-21 is really a medium bomber with strategic range. One bay, with an AGM86B length.
Not to mention ONLY TWO ENGINES, even if they are a pair of F135s sans afterburners.
I think you can stuff 24x 1kpdrs in there with the SBA, but it's ~16klbs with 8x 2kpdrs. 30k with the GBU-57.
AFAIK the Smart Bomb Assembly Rack is limited to 20 pieces of ordnance. It has only been pictured with mk82s to the best of my knowledge, though I have seen it stated that on this forum that it is capable of carrying 1000 lb ordnance as well.
This guy?
View attachment 709619
This drawing is not totally representative, BTW. (I think it shows dumb bombs, but JDAM fins are bigger). Check real life, below.
View attachment 709620
It would be tricky to rig with 1,000 lb JDAMs, given the tight spacing. They're already overlapping fins on the middle of the rack with 500-lb JDAMs. But maybe with more of a stagger and only two weapons on each side of the center section?
And frankly, the terminal effects aren't THAT different -- 500-lb for when you want to hit lots of aim points and 2000-lb for when you need heavier impacts seems like a fine enough distinction.
The real question IMO is about SDB. Stacking four nose to tail requires a very long bay, over 7.2 meters. I'm not sure what geometry you need to fit 100 in a 6.2-meter (MOP-sized) bay.
They need a robust and responsive engine with no compressor stalls in any flight condition, this is not a hot rod. On the B-2 during flight test, we had inlet distortion but no compressor stalls at max AOA/max AOS with throttle slams from flight idle to TRT.Minor quibbles - PW9000 is not know to have any lineage to the F135; it is supposed to be a "militarized" engine based on the commercial geared PW1000 series high bypass turbo fans. The gearing arrangement allows the bypass compressors to spin at a different, more optimal speed then the engine core. Though Bill Sweetment specifically describes the PW9000 as "medium bypass" with a "direct drive". In any case, if he is correct about the engine (which seems likely; a higher bypass would have huge advantages if it could be made to work) then there isn't much relation to F135. I'm glad he mentioned the F118 in the B-2. I always wondered why a more fighter type engine was used and apparently the answer is concerns about flow distortion due to the complexity of the intake/exhaust flow. Apparently now they can model these sufficiently well such that the ducting can supply a more uniform flow?
AFAIK the Smart Bomb Assembly Rack is limited to 20 pieces of ordnance. It has only been pictured with mk82s to the best of my knowledge, though I have seen it stated that on this forum that it is capable of carrying 1000 lb ordnance as well. AFAIK Mk83 has been phased out of USAF usage though. I would suspect that the future SiAW will be designed for this rack or a modified version of it. I would also guess that some kind of SDB specific rack with a capacity of ~100 weapons would also be integrated. Large numbers of PGM glide bombs are a natural fit to a high altitude stealth bomber: it provides a large degree of stand off with a low IR signature release (compared to a powered missile) while maximizing aim points.
Any recent details on the PW9000?The engine was expected to be either PW9000 or F135. No-reheat F135 seemed the easier option, but if PW9000 is apparently a reasonably simple adaptation of a commercial core, then it makes sense, fuel burn would be substantially better. F135 would mean more theatre, medium bomber class, while PW9000 suggests strategic range possibilities.
Any recent details on the PW9000?
I'm expecting the B-21 to have a longer bay than the usual CSRL. ALCM length, not SRAM length. So there is space for hypersonics.The real question IMO is about SDB. Stacking four nose to tail requires a very long bay, over 7.2 meters. I'm not sure what geometry you need to fit 100 in a 6.2-meter (MOP-sized) bay.
I'm expecting the B-21 to have a longer bay than the usual CSRL. ALCM length, not SRAM length. So there is space for hypersonics.
CSRL(aka Common Rotary Launcher, aka Common Missile Launcher) is the ALCM launcher, and it is about 6.3 meters long, roughly the same length as a MOP (probably sized the other way around, of course -- MOP had to fit in the space of a CSRL.)
As far as I can tell, the same CSRLs (maybe with minor differences) are used in the B-52 and B-2 and were used in the B-1 back when it carried ALCM. There's also a short rotary launcher for SRAM, JSOW, etc. that only fits in the B-1.
Are we really thinking they let this get caught by a satellite? Unless this is the start of its path fully into the public eye.Whatever the grey blob is, it's been there since at least the 4th of October. It appears to be about the same size as a B-2, so it may be the STA rather than the B-21. Regardless, the area where it is parked is visible from public land.
I am surprised various Instagram persons have not captured and posted video etc. of the engine runs at the least.
I am not all that surprised the shouty internet "journalists" have not left their keyboards to get photos or write stories with firsthand experiences.
Are we really thinking they let this get caught by a satellite? Unless this is the start of its path fully into the public eye.
Oh? I thought that the CSRL was the shorter length used by the B-1. My bad.CSRL(aka Common Rotary Launcher, aka Common Missile Launcher) is the ALCM launcher, and it is about 6.3 meters long, roughly the same length as a MOP (probably sized the other way around, of course -- MOP had to fit in the space of a CSRL.)
As far as I can tell, the same CSRLs (maybe with minor differences) are used in the B-52 and B-2 and were used in the B-1 back when it carried ALCM. There's also a short rotary launcher for SRAM, JSOW, etc. that only fits in the B-1.
What is the designation of the B-1 rotary?
Yes, it quite may be homeless STA with color variations due to different lightning conditions.Hmmm.....
No MOP for the B-21.Interactive Graphic: Design Features Likely on The B-21 Raider
https://aviationweek.com/defense-sp...ve-graphic-design-features-likely-b-21-raider
Screenshot:
View attachment 709567
No MOP for the B-21.
View attachment 709692
(Of course the B-2 can carry 2 at 60,000lbs+ so who knows how accurate the table is.)
No MOP for the B-21.
View attachment 709692
(Of course the B-2 can carry 2 at 60,000lbs+ so who knows how accurate the table is.)
I've not heard of a MOP replacement but it wouldn't surprise me if one is being worked on. But new variants of the GBU-57 are still being produced and the B-21 design was frozen in 2018, so I'd be surprised if it wasn't included as part of the B-21 requirements and retained the capability, even if a replacement weapon is in development.
ETA: from just last year -