Raider Stealth Bomber Rolls Out

The U.S. Air Force rolled out its stealthy new strategic bomber in early December. The event provided a limited view of the B-21 Raider, named in honor of the B-25 bomber pilots who took part in the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo during World War II, showing only its forward aspect. Nevertheless, it confirmed that the bomber will use the same flying wing design as its predecessor, the B-2 Spirit, in a smaller package capable of higher-altitude operations. Advances over the last 30 years have also improved the stealth technologies implemented on the B-21.

Over the last decade, Turkey has stepped up efforts to build its domestic defense industry, including the development of several missile programs. The Sungur is a portable air defense missile system that is intended to be integrated with air, ground and naval platforms. The missile is a lock-on before launch, fire-and-forget system with a semi-armor-piercing, high-explosive warhead. It was designed to replace U.S.-made Stinger systems in Turkish service. The vehicle-mounted launch platform includes a Teledyne FLIR Star Safire 380HLD sensor turret for all-weather situational awareness and targeting.

China launched its first advanced domestically designed aircraft carrier last year. The Fujian, said to be equipped with electromagnetic aircraft launch systems (EMALS) similar to those on the U.S. Gerald R. Ford-class carriers, is significantly larger than China’s first two aircraft carriers, which were based on a Soviet-era design. The Fujian is expected to accommodate 40-50 J-15 naval fighter aircraft along with airborne early warning aircraft, helicopters and drones. It is conventionally powered, though there are reports that it could shift to nuclear power in the future.

There are several new naval record updates this month, including the Fijian navy’s Kacau-class hydrographic survey ship donated by China and South Korea’s new Tiger Shark heavyweight torpedo. Updates include Mexico’s Cuauhtemoc-class sail training ship; Russian Alligator-class tank landing ships, one of which was sunk by a Ukrainian missile in March 2022; Belgian Aster-class minehunters; and the Swiss 20-mm Searanger naval remotely operated weapon station.

Ground records have not been neglected, with new records on the Mexican DN-XI protected vehicle and South African Maatla light protected vehicle, and updates on the Israeli Iron Beam laser air defense system, Jordanian/South African Marauder mine-protected vehicle and the Indian Agni family of ballistic missiles.

Mauritania continues to battle Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb terrorists while seeking to strengthen its borders against spillover from the conflict in Mali.

The orders of battle for Equatorial Guinea and Trinidad and Tobago have also been made current.

Over the last year of the war in Ukraine, both sides have employed drones of various types for roles from intelligence-gathering to strike. Andy Oppenheimer looks at the developing role of drones in the war in his report, "Drones Over Ukraine."

Meanwhile, there has been much discussion over lessons from the war in Ukraine for any Chinese invasion of Taiwan. Reuben Johnson considers the parallels and China’s ongoing harassment flights around Taiwan in “Holding Back.”

Sincerely,
Jeremiah Cushman
Senior Editor
Military Periscope