Perun's video: The Race for Next Generation Bombers - Stealth Drones the B-21 H-20 PAK DA programs

While the push for next generation fighters probably wins more public and internet attention, the drive to field new bomber aircraft with sixth generation features is also pushing the limits of what aircraft designers can accomplish. And with the first flights of the B-21 Raider now documented, it may also be a race far closer to the finish line. In this episode I look at the three main members of the strategic bomber club, their next generation bomber programs, and ask both what these systems might mean, and why they seem likely to serve alongside much older, legacy platforms. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PerunAU Reading and Sourcing (Incomplete): GAO: Weapon System Sustainment Aircraft - GAO-23-106217 https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-23-106217.pdf CRS: Air Force Next-Generation Bomber Background and Issues for Congress (2009) https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/RL34406/13 CRS: Air Force B-21 Raider Long-Range Strike Bomber (2021) https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R44463/14 Mentioned Videos - The Race for Next Generation Fighters https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPrWm6fWuaM Mentioned Videos - Russia's attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure - does strategic bombing ever work? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CE6RINU8JLg Northrop Grumman on the B-21 https://www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/air/B-21-Need-To-Know Janes - H-20 close to first flight https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/chinas-h-20-stealth-bomber-close-to-first-flight Bronk, J. Russian and Chinese Combat Air Trends (2020) https://static.rusi.org/russian_and_chinese_combat_air_trends_whr_final_web_version.pdf US DoD - Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China (2023) https://media.defense.gov/2023/Oct/19/2003323409/-1/-1/1/2023-MILITARY-AND-SECURITY-DEVELOPMENTS-INVOLVING-THE-PEOPLES-REPUBLIC-OF-CHINA.PDF TASS on the PAK DA https://tass.com/defense/1321611 https://tass.com/defense/1529991 https://tass.com/defense/1716897 https://tass.com/defense/1160253 https://tass.com/defense/1011433 TASS on S-300 and S-400 vs Stealth https://tass.com/defense/954905 https://tass.com/defense/1561277 USAF B-52s fly near Kaliningrad https://www.airandspaceforces.com/usaf-b-52-bombers-baltics-near-russian-territory/ The Global Times on H-20 https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202403/1308604.shtml Anonymous US official on H-20 https://breakingdefense.com/2024/04/chinas-new-h-20-stealth-bomber-not-really-a-concern-for-pentagon-says-intel-official/ #:~:text=In%20March%2C%20a%20Chinese%20military,%2C%20you%20know%2C%20military%20power. Caveats & Comments: All normal caveats and comments apply. In particular – I would like to note as always that this material has been created for entertainment purposes and is not intended to be a complete or comprehensive examination of the topic in question and should not be relied upon to inform financial or other similar decisions. Timestamps: 00:00:00 — Opening Words 00:00:54 — What Am I Talking About? 00:01:32 — History 00:11:12 — Modern And Future Roles 00:16:53 — The Three Bomber Fleets 00:23:09 — Next Generation Features 00:28:03 — The United States 00:36:03 — China 00:38:58 — Russia 00:46:34 — Bomb Trucks And Force Design 00:50:54 — The US Future Fleet 00:54:53 — The Chinese Future Fleet 00:55:57 — The Russian Future Fleet 01:01:02 — Potential For Future Growth? 01:02:46 — Channel Update