The annual cost of the Pentagon on the Navy bombers will increase to 11 billion dollars over the next decade. According to the weekly Defense News, this is due primarily to the increased cost of development and creation of the Northrop Grumman promising long-range bomber B-21 (LRS-B).
Currently, the air force spend on the maintenance of the fleet of the order of 5.5 billion dollars. Previously it was assumed that in 2025, the related costs will be only 7.5 billion, but inflation has forced the military to reconsider their plans.
The contract Northrop Grumman received in 2014, winning a government tender. In accordance with this, the company needs to create by 2025, 21 bomber B-21. The aircraft is a subsonic flying wing, made by stealth technology, structurally, it is similar to its predecessor, the B-2 Spirit, which needs to be replaced. In the future, the air force plans to induct 100 of these bombers.
The full value of the contract is still not disclosed, the price of design work is 23.5 billion dollars.
