Report: Air Force Backs Off Pairing B-21 Bomber With Combat Drone

The concept of pairing comparable unmanned drones with the B-21 Raider stealth bomber is not 'cost effective,' said a top Air Force official in an interview.

Kimberly Johnson

Monday, July 18, 2022 at 02:51 PM ET

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An artist’s rendering of B-21 Raider. [Courtesy: California Military Council]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. Air Force has reportedly abandoned its plan to pair the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider stealth bomber with a comparably sized unmanned combat drone.
This decision stems from concerns about cost-effectiveness, as officials determined that developing a large unmanned counterpart did not offer significant value or cost savings compared to the manned bomber.
However, the Air Force still intends to pursue the "Loyal Wingman" concept, where smaller combat drones would be paired with fighter aircraft such as the F-35, F-22, or Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter.

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The U.S. Air Force is backing off a plan to pair the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider stealth bomber with a comparably sized unmanned combat drone, the service’s top official reportedly said, citing the issue of value.

The decision, reported by Breaking Defense, would be an about-face after Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall confirmed late last year that the service would be seeking funding for two classified, remotely piloted, air combat vehicles, which included the concept of pairing unmanned combat drones with the B-21.