In recent years, there has been speculation that the Pentagon might consider selling its unique, fast-emerging, secret, and stealthy B-21 Raider bomber to allies.
Could this be the case?
Or do the B-21’s exquisite technologies require that the platform remain, like the F-22, “US only” and not available for export?
There are many variables to consider and strong arguments for either position. On the advantage side, adding B-21 allied countries could help Northrop scale production, increase efficiency, and lower costs. It might streamline manufacturing to enable Northrop to add more aircraft should Pentagon requests increase.
There is already discussion about increasing the B-21 fleet size to well beyond current plans for 100 aircraft. Expanding the fleet is much easier and more realistic if the production of the aircraft is massively scaled.
Could Northrop sufficiently flex to accomplish this? It certainly seems realistic.
More B-21 Raider Bombers?
For many reasons, adding B-21s to the anticipated US fleet size makes great sense. The Air Force has struggled with a bomber deficit for many years, and Combatant Commander requests for bombers continue to exceed available supply massively. There is little question that an expansive force of B-21s would be critical in any great power warfare.
Apart from pure production capacity and fleet size considerations, the strongest argument for expanding the B-21 to allied countries seems tactical and strategic.
While the B-21 is said to be the stealthiest, most lethal bomber ever to exist, it will also function to a large degree as an aerial command and control node, performing critical sensing, data analysis, and transmission across a multi-domain force.
Not only will the B-21 control drones from the sky to conduct forward surveillance, test enemy air defenses, and deliver strikes when directed by a human, but it will also introduce paradigm-changing levels of sensing, computing, and AI-enabled data analysis.
The B-21 will operate like a flying command and control center, potentially bringing new, unparalleled data transmission, networking, and communications across multiple domains.
B-21 Flying Command Center
This multi-domain capability introduces an interesting multi-national networking possibility. This technology opens up the possibility of new Concepts of Operation, as a multi-national group of B-21s could operate across a vast theater of war to share data, control drones, transmit targeting and intelligence information, and optimize the speed, method, and effectiveness of attack. As a bomber, the B-21 is stealthier, has a higher altitude, and is quite different from an F-35—a multi-role aircraft but not a bomber.
There is potentially an alignment in terms of concepts of operation. The number of countries now operating the F-35 has exploded in recent years, leading some to refer to it as the aircraft for the free world.
The F-35 is specially engineered with a common, multi-national data link called Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL), which enables all F-35s from all member nations to securely and quickly share data across expansive air-combat formations. This networking capability could, in theory, be applied to a multi-national force of allied B-21s uniquely positioned to share data, network with one another, and coordinate bombing attacks.
Dangerous to Sell?
The argument against selling the B-21 is clear and straightforward, as it pertains to the need to safeguard some of the most advanced and unique technologies the world has ever seen.
There is always the unlikely possibility that today’s allies may not be allies in 20 or 30 years, so selling a platform with this ability could arguably introduce a measure of long-term risk.
There is always a possibility that the geopolitical landscape could change in unpredictable ways, which could place the US at risk should an allied B-21 member nation no longer be an ally for some reason.
To safeguard against this contingency, allies are often sold scaled-back “export variants” of top-level US military platforms to protect American superiority, yet even export variants of a platform such as the B-21 would be extremely dangerous if used against the US.
It may be that its technologies are simply too advanced, unique, and paradigm-changing in the realm of stealth and bombing that it simply should not be sold or shared in any capacity.
About the Author: Kris Osborn
Kris Osborn is Military Technology Editor of 19FortyFive and the President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a highly qualified expert in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.
