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B-2 Spirit Bomber vs B-21 Raider Bomber vs Xian H-20 Bomber

	B-2 Spirit Bomber B-21 Raider Bomber Xian H-20 Bomber

Price
Our Rating	8.8 9.4 9.2
Manufacturer	Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman Xian Aircraft Industrial Corporation
Category	Bombers & Strategic Aircraft Bombers & Strategic Aircraft Bombers & Strategic Aircraft

1. General Information

Name	B-2 Spirit B-21 Raider Xian H-20
Manufacturer	Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman Xian Aircraft Industrial Corporation
Country of Origin	United States United States China
Introduction / In Service Since	1997 Expected 2027 Not yet in service
Status	Active Pre-production / Testing Under development
Category	Strategic Stealth Bomber Long-range stealth bomber Strategic Stealth Bomber
Crew	2 2 2
Unit Cost	Approx. $2.1 billion (2024 est.) Approx. $700 million (estimated) $750 million–$1 billion (estimated)

2. Dimensions & Structure

Length	69 ft (21 m) ~69 ft (estimated) Approx. 20–25 m
Wingspan	172 ft (52.4 m) ~137 ft 45–50 m
Height	17 ft (5.1 m) ~20 ft 6 m (estimated)
Wing Area	5,140 sq ft (478 m²) Classified Classified
Empty Weight	158,000 lb (71,700 kg) Classified ~80,000 kg (estimated)
Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW)	336,500 lb (152,200 kg) ~150,000 lb (estimated) ~200,000 kg (estimated)

3. Performance

Maximum Speed	628 mph (Mach 0.95) 600+ mph (est.) Mach 0.95
Range	6,000+ nmi (11,000 km) 6,000+ miles 8,500 km
Combat Radius	2,500 nmi (4,600 km) ~2,500 miles 4,000+ km
Service Ceiling	50,000 ft (15,000 m) ~50,000 ft 15,000 m
Rate of Climb	Classified Classified Classified

4. Powerplant

Engine Type	4 × GE F118-GE-100 turbofans 2 × Pratt & Whitney (classified model) 4 × WS-10 or WS-18 turbofans (expected)
Thrust (per engine)	17,300 lbf Estimated 17,000–19,000 lbf ~13,000–15,000 kgf
Total Thrust	69,200 lbf ~34,000–38,000 lbf ~60,000 kgf

5. Payload & Armament

Internal Payload Capacity	40,000 lb (18,000 kg) ~30,000 lb 45,000 lb (20,400 kg)
Weapons Bay	Dual internal bays 2 internal bays Dual internal bays
Compatible Weapons	B61/B83 nuclear bombs, JDAMs, GBU-28 Nuclear gravity bombs, JASSM-ER, hypersonic missiles Nuclear bombs, cruise missiles, precision-guided munitions
Hardpoints	None (internal only) None (stealth configuration) Internal only (stealth design)

6. Avionics & Systems

Radar System	AN/APQ-181 multi-mode radar Advanced AESA radar AESA stealth radar
Navigation	GPS-aided INS GPS/INS hybrid Satellite + inertial navigation
Electronic Warfare (EW)	AN/ALQ-214 suite Full-spectrum self-protection Integrated ECM/ECCM suite
Stealth Features	RAM coating, flying-wing design Radar-absorbent coatings, low IR signature Radar-absorbing materials, flying wing design, infrared suppression

7. Operational History

Primary Operator	United States Air Force United States Air Force People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF)
Conflict Usage	Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya None (testing phase) None (pre-operational)
Notable Missions	Operation Allied Force (1999) Initial test flights, 2023–present None yet reported

8. Additional Information

Variants	B-2A Spirit None confirmed None known
Successor / Future Replacement	B-21 Raider Future unmanned strategic bomber concepts Future heavy stealth bomber
Notable Features	Stealth coating, long-range endurance AI-assisted systems, modular avionics Long-range stealth strike, nuclear capability
Estimated Operational Life	Until 2035 2050+ 30–40 years

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