#pentagon cerberus

[usafphantom2]

IMAGES: Fly the new USAF stealth bomber, the B-21 Raider

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 11/10/2023 - 15:14in Military

Photo: Matt Hartman

USAF's new B-21 “Raider” flying wing bomber made its first flight on Friday, the next step in the launch of a new fleet of nuclear-capable long-range stealth bombers built by Northrop Grumman.

The B-21 left the Northrop facility at U.S. Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, at sunrise on Friday at 6:51 a.m., offering the first improvised view of the new bomber that was developed under strict security.

The aircraft went to Edwards Air Base, California, where it will continue with the flight test phase with USAF. The flight lasted about 90 minutes.

With the Cerberus callsign, the aircraft took off eastward with an F-16 companion plane after climbing about 500 feet. The landing gear was not collected, according to videos and photos that appeared on social networks.

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U.S. Air Force leaders did not disclose the first flight of the B-21, but about three dozen aviation enthusiasts and amateur photographers gathered around Plant 42 on Friday in the hope of seeing the bomber rise to the skies.

Photo: Mike Henry

The B-21, which carries the same "flying wing" format as its predecessor, the B-2, will be able to launch conventional and nuclear weapons around the world, using long-range and in-flight refueling capabilities.

The aircraft are projected to cost approximately $550 million each in 2010 dollars, or about $750 million in current inflation-adjusted dollars. However, the USAF kept other price information confidential, “which makes it difficult to validate the proposed cost,” the Congressional Research Service said in a 2021 report.

Photo: Mike Henry

The U.S. Air Force plans to buy at least 100 planes and start replacing the B-1 and B-2 bombers. The B-1 costs about US$ 60,000 per hour to operate and the B-2 costs about US$ 65,000 per hour, according to Pentagon data.

Ann Stefanek, USAF spokesperson, said: “The B-21 Raider is in flight tests. Flight tests are a critical step in the testing campaign managed by the Air Force Test Center and the 412ª Combined Test Wings B-21 Test Force."

Photo: Mike Henry

Six test aircraft are being produced now. They are being built on the same line, using the tools, processes and technicians that will build the production aircraft.

Northrop defeated a team composed of Boeing and Lockheed Martin when it won the 2015 contract to manufacture the bomber. Engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney, Collins Aerospace, GKN Aerospace, BAE Systems and Spirit Aerosystems are among more than 400 suppliers in 40 states.

The B-21 was publicly presented in December 2022, but the expectation around its first flight had been growing for years.

In 2019, an important Air Force general suggested that the bomber could fly as early as December 2021, but the Force subsequently postponed this date to mid-2022. In early 2022, the USAF postponed even more until 2023.

The B-21 program is in the engineering and manufacturing development phase and the first aircraft will be delivered to Ellsworth Air Force Base in North Dakota.

Northrop is calling the plane a sixth-generation aircraft due to its ability to connect to other aircraft and easily integrate future weapons into its systems architecture.

The B-21 also features surface material with low observation, more durable and stealthy, which should require less maintenance and reduce operating costs and downtime.

Tags: Military AviationNorthrop Grumman B-21 RaiderUSAF - United States Air Force / U.S. Air Force

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Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has work published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. Uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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[yetisidelblog]

As we grapple with the complex web of systemic issues—economic disparity, racial injustice, and eroding democratic norms—a new concern has emerged: the potential appointment of Stephen Feinberg, a billionaire investor with ties to the military-industrial complex, to a key Pentagon role in the upcoming administration. Feinberg's firm, Cerberus Capital Management, is deeply embedded in defense interests, raising significant alarms about the influence of private equity within our government. This is not an isolated incident. Such appointments threaten to prioritize corporate profits over public welfare, undermining democratic processes and public trust. Add your name to the petition: No private equity executives in the Defense Department. The urgency is palpable. As nominees with potential conflicts of interest step forward, the risks to public interests—from environmental protection to labor rights—are too severe to ignore. We must challenge these appointments and advocate for policies that halt private equity influence in our defense department. Sign the petition: No Private Equity Execs in the Defense Department.

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@justice-for-jacob-marley

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[followdelight]

Will we ever get another song by the Mayonnaise line or do we have to wait for the middle children to enlist first.

[leaving-fragments]

listening to pentagon cerberus, hearing we are care barers 🩹🏋️, yeah we are care bearers 🩺🐻

[fullsunsunoo]

펜타곤 (PENTAGON) - 'Cerberus (Song By 유토, 키노, 우석)' Official Music Video

[un1navy]

PENTAGON Wooseok Kino Yuto

We are the Cerberus

[demonlullaby]

MAKNAE LINE MORE LIKE INSANE LINE THEY DID THAT THEY DID THATTTTTT

[julyarchives]

Eu não sei oq falar somente sentir

só me vem uma palavra na cabeça, e é: G O S T O S O

[arasokanbina]

The swagger!

[shint0buri]

Oh my god, the mayonnaise, YES

[pen1ag0n]

키노 Special Single [POSE]

2022.08.09. 18:00 (KST)

[nishihiroto]

we got no problem 

[liart-ez]

Cerberus tiene su debut en unas horas!!! La maknae line viene con todo🔥

[huiverse]

kino – cerberus 🧨

[kpopmultifan]

PENTAGON’s Yuto x Kino x Wooseok have released a set of individual concept images for their upcoming unit digital single “Cerberus” which is scheduled to be released on August 18th.

[demonlullaby]

PENTAGONNNNNN WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE F U C K I'M SCREAMING