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Northrop-Grumman B-21 "Raider"
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Kimmo Huosionmaa
The reason, why the opponent's strike capacity would be highlighted and their new kind of weapons would be portrayed in the media are sometimes another than people would believe. The reason would turn the public sight off the new projects of own military force. The next-generation B-21 "Raider" bomber, what could replace the B-2 and B-2 bombers would be the reason, why the China and Russian next-generation weapons are highlighted in the public media. Northrop-Grumman's B-21 "Raider" is improved version of the B-2 "Spirit" bomber, what has been served over 20 years. This supersonic STEALTH-bomber has improved survivability- and strike capacity. It can penetrate deep inside enemy airspace and strike against any target, what would be in the firing range.
Weapon systems would be very advanced, and they might include smart bombs, STEALTH-cruise missiles and some kind of new versions of the SRAM (Short Range Attack Missiles), what gives it the capacity to strike fast and deadly to any target, what is ordered by the military commanders. Sometimes people believe, that the reason to update B-2 bomber was that Pentagon wanted also use those bombers to carry ASAT (Anti Satellite) weapons. One of the most potential version of ASAT might be SRAM-missile, what would launch to the orbiter, and then this system would detonate the nuclear warhead, what destroys multiple satellites, and makes the trajectory unable to use because of the plasma, what destroys almost every satellite, what faces that cloud. Another way to destroy satellites would fill the warhead of the missile with small steel balls, and then the high explosive behind those steel balls would be detonated when the missile would work like the giant shotgun.
Those steel balls would be sent to orbiter the Earth in opposite direction of the targeted satellites, and they might destroy the targets immediately. Also, the similar systems like THAAD can be used in that action. The difference of THAAD and those kinetic energy ASAT systems is that the last one would fly at higher altitude. They can aim to the satellites by using similar systems as the anti-radiation missiles, and those systems would be capable to destroy communication- and navigation satellites, what can be targeted by their radio transmitters. The most advanced way to kill the satellites would be to use similar microwave weapon, as the EMP-bomb.
This weapon would aim to satellite, and then the to launch the microwave systems, what would destroy the electronics of the target immediately. There is one big positive about the EMP-systems in the comparing with the kinetic energy systems. EMP-systems would not cause the debris in the trajectory, and that allows other satellites operate in that trajectory. This is the reason, why FOBS- (Fractional Orbital Bombardment System) type killer satellites, what basis the "sleeping systems" are not so effective, as people normally think. If the sleeping system would be located, the EMP-system would terminate it, without the owner of that satellite-bomber would not even know about it.
The "sleeping FOBS" could play the satellite wreck and the atom bomb would be inside it, but if there would be the radio transmissions, the satellite would be uncovered. This means that the "sleeping system", where the satellite would be in the stationary trajectory would be more effective. When the conflict begins that satellite would get the "wake up signal" and then its mission would be open fire. But if the EMP-pulse would be terminate the electronics of that device, it would become unusable. I believe, that B-21 might have also capacity to make the ballistic jump above the atmosphere. This can make this supersonic aircraft capacity to carry also ASAT-weapons, what might bases the technology, what was used in the ASAT-missile, what was made to use with F-15 "Eagle" fighter in 1980's. The B-21 is the bigger plane, and if can carry bigger missiles in its internal weapons bay.
Sources:
Picture I
