The Pentagon has revealed a new weapon they have spent years secretly developing for the U.S. Air Force, and it's a new nuclear stealth bomber called the B-21 Raider.

This is historic as the aircraft is the first new American bomber aircraft in over 30 years. During a tightly controlled ceremony on Friday, the Pentagon revealed the new aircraft at an Air Force facility in Palmdale, California.

According to the Associated Press, the event started with a flyover of the three bombers still in service, namely the B-52 Stratofortress, the B-1 Lancer, and the B-2 Spirit. Then, the B-21 was towed partially out of the building after the hangar doors slowly opened.

"This isn't just another airplane... It's the embodiment of America's determination to defend the republic that we all love," Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. 

This new warplane was built by Northrop Grumman Corp., which described the B-21 Raider as "the world's most advanced strike aircraft." It is the first sixth-generation fighter jet seen to replace aging stealth bombers like the B-1 and the B-2 Spirit, according to Yahoo! Finance.

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Nuclear Stealth Bomber B-21 Raider to Be the Backbone of the U.S. Air Force's Bomber Force

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) aims to make the new warplane the "backbone of the future Air Force bomber force." This force will consist mainly of B-21s and B-52s. Designed to operate in high-end threat environments, the B-21 Raider will play a critical role in ensuring the enduring airpower capability of America.

According to the USAF's official website, the Raider will be part of a "larger family of systems for conventional Long Range Strike." This includes "Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, electronic attack, communication, and other capabilities."

The website also confirms that this new stealth bomber will be nuclear-capable, much like the B-2 Spirit. It will also be able to accommodate either manned or unmanned operations.

The Air Force added that this new plane was "designed with open systems architecture to reduce integration risk and enable competition for future modernization efforts" that would allow it to "evolve" as threat environments change.

As for the cost, the Air Force revealed that each of the bombers will cost between $550 million and $639 million. According to Northrup, six B-21s are in various stages of assembly and testing at its Palmdale plant.

The Raider's first flight is expected to take place next year. The USAF said it planned to buy 100 of the planes. The B-21 Raider is named in honor of the Doolittle Raiders, a group of U.S. Army Air Force men known for their surprise attack against Japan during World War II on April 18, 1942.

Nuclear Stealth Bomber B-21 Raider Developed by Pentagon to Counter Chinese Modernization?

The Pentagon is currently modernizing all three legs of its nuclear triad, and the B-21 Raider is part of those efforts. The other parts include silo-launched nuclear ballistic missiles and submarine-launched warheads.

The Associated Press pointed out that this modernization comes as the Pentagon shifts from counterterrorism campaigns in trying to counter the rapid military modernization being undertaken by China.

China is now on its way to having 1,500 nuclear weapons by 2035. It has also stepped up its efforts in several aspects of modern warfare, including "hypersonics, cyber warfare, space capabilities, and other areas."

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: B21 Raider Rollout Livestream - From Edwards Air Force Base