Does the B-21 Bomber Need a Drone Escort?

The planned and then abandoned drone escort is just one part of the larger story behind the B-21, America's first new bomber design in 30 years and the post-Cold War era. Information on the cancellation was revealed at the Royal International Air Tattoo, an enormous military air show held annually in England. "Our idea for similar-range collaborative combat aircraft has not proven cost-effective, and so it appears as if we will not proceed down that path," Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall explained to Breaking Defense during an event interview. Kendall announced an intended drone escort project in December 2021, with plans for drone fighters as budget items in 2023.

Abandoning the idea of an uncrewed fighter escort for the new bomber is just another attempt by Washington to protect its bombers en route and prevent accidental crashes. When comprehending its implications, three programs related to this cancellation must be considered: B-21 itself, escort fighters, and the Loyal Wingman drone fighter program.

The B-21 Raider began life as a Long Range Strike Bomber. Rebranded as B-21 and given its "Raider" moniker to commemorate the Army Air Force's 1942 raid on Tokyo, this aircraft is set to become one of four bombers used by the Air Force - following in the footsteps of ancient B-52 bombers which have seen action since Vietnam, supersonic B-1s which entered service in 1986 and stealthy B-2 bombers which saw their debut performance during Kosovo War 1999 - with its B-21 being closest in concept and performance to stealth B-2s than ever before!

These bombers represent an array of abilities and design eras. While all were initially constructed with nuclear capabilities, today, only B-2 and B-52 retain them due to arms control restrictions on total nuclear-capable bombers. B-1s had their nuclear power eliminated through upgrades as part of an arms control agreement to limit whole numbers of nuclear-capable bombers. Early in its development of the Long Range Strike Bomber, the Air Force briefly considered whether or not it could fly unmanned; this idea was rejected for nuclear missions and any other bombing runs that might require uncrewed flying.

As planned, the B-21 will be a stealth long-range bomber capable of carrying both conventional bombs and nuclear weapons. Long range refers to intercontinental travel: B-1s can fly nearly 6,000 miles with a useful payload, and B-2s can reach almost 7000 miles. In comparison, B-52s can fly close to 9,000 miles before air refueling is required (air refueling helps extend range). To meet their Air Force counterparts' existing and planned future needs, construction on six B-21s began in February 2022 (but they haven't flown yet).

Anti-air missiles and fighter aircraft have historically been effective ways for nations to defend against bombers. Stealth features, as used on both the B-2 and soon-to-be B-21, make it harder for sensors such as radar to track planes, reducing their potential danger from anti-air missiles. Escort fighters Intercepting and attacking bombers by jet fighters are a formidable threat that is difficult to reduce. World War II saw bombers, particularly from the "Fortress" line like the B-52, equip themselves with onboard guns specifically for this task; during Vietnam, they even saw use; these guns were eventually removed in October 1991 but retained for rear-facing radar systems use; unfortunately this defense strategy cannot cope with threats like long-range anti-air missiles as well as high speeds during jet combat - thus making an escort fighter more appealing than ever.

An escort fighter is intended to accompany bombers and protect them in case of interception from hostile soldiers. One type is the "parasite" fighter, which rides attached or inside another plane until released when needed - saving on fuel while reducing effective payload while necessitating landing back onto their parent plane after use - DARPA is investigating cargo planes capable of launching drones as an alternative solution, without worrying about pilot safety during or after missions.

Suppose the purpose is to escort a bomber. In that case, its escort must match its range while remaining small and maneuverable enough as a fighter when under attack. Removing pilots from cockpits saves some room but would still require enough fuel for intercontinental journeys as well as sensors and weapons needed for combat; additionally, if repeated uses occur, enough energy must remain to transport back afterward; that can be a pretty demanding requirement, given crewed fighters like F-16 Fighting Falcon's one-way travel range of just over 2000 miles and combat-effective ranges between 1000-1500 miles and 1500 miles!

Mid-air refueling can extend the range of both bombers and fighters. However, it would present another obstacle for long-distance drone escort fighters. Before adding "autonomous mid-air refueling" as one of their tasks for their drone escort fighter, the Air Force would likely prefer testing a shorter-range drone fighter first.

The Loyal Wingman

The Air Force is already working on drone fighter technology - just not designed to fly long-distance bomber flights. Their Kratos Valkyrie drone, part of their "loyal Wingman" program, serves as a relatively cheap supplement to fighter squadrons; Skyborg, an autonomous pilot for aircraft initiative by the Air Force, enables uncrewed planes to fly alongside crewed crafts.

Drones designed for this role can fly alongside fighters manned by pilots, using an autonomous system on the drones to perform tasks such as flying ahead. By keeping extra sensors or weapons aboard their trusted wingmates, pilots of expensive fighters such as F-35 could use drones for riskier missions like scouting hostile surface-to-air missile sites or attacking harmful missile sites.

Though drone fighter escorts for bombers remain unlikely, the Air Force still prioritizes developing drones capable of flying and fighting alongside crewed planes--even if not yet used to provide bomber escort support - in its loyal wingman program. B-21 must rely on stealth and speed alone to stay secure.