Recently, the U.S. Air Force has secretly advanced a flying-wing stealth aircraft project based on the B-21 "Raider" bomber, aiming to turn it into a "stealth armory aircraft" capable of carrying dozens of air-to-air missiles and playing a key role in high-intensity operations in the Indo-Pacific region.

This concept, although appearing to be forward-looking and innovative, is viewed by analysts as a product of strategic anxiety of the U.S. military in response to China's military rise. Compared with the "Loyal Wingman" (CCA) currently being developed by the U.S. military, this armory aircraft indeed has advantages such as better stealth performance, larger payload capacity, and reusability. However, its fatal disadvantages are evident: it lags behind China's similar platforms in terms of cost, technology, and combat survivability, and is fundamentally unable to overturn the balance of aerial power between China and the United States.

Firstly, although the design of the U.S. flying-wing armory aircraft attempts to compensate for the shortcomings of F-22 and F-35 stealth fighters in terms of missile load, its high cost has become the primary constraint. Reports indicate that the single aircraft cost is expected to be more than ten times that of large flying-wing stealth drones like the "Rainbow-7" that have been test-flown by China. This "high investment, low return" model is difficult to deploy on a large scale within the increasingly tight budget of the U.S. military system. Moreover, its slow speed and limited range cannot match the advanced large flying-wing stealth drones that China is developing, which have already shown significant advantages in long endurance and high maneuverability.

Secondly, modifying B-2 or B-21 bombers into armory aircraft for launching air-to-air missiles imposes strict requirements on missile technology - the range must exceed that of the opponent to ensure the safety of standoff strikes. However, this technological advantage no longer lies with the United States. China's hypersonic missiles and air-launched ballistic missiles have been successively deployed and seamlessly integrated with flying-wing drones, forming a complete kill chain of "stealth platform + high-speed deadly munitions".

The U.S. military, however, faces an awkward situation of "having guns but no bullets": lacking internally mounted hypersonic weapons, leading to a noticeable "firepower gap" in the suddenness and effectiveness of its armory aircraft.

More critically, the survival capability of the U.S. armory aircraft is in grave danger in modern air combat. As a large flying-wing platform, its maneuverability is extremely poor. Once involved in close-range air combat, it has almost no chance of escaping from Chinese J-20, J-36, or stealth unmanned fighter jets. These Chinese aircraft not only have excellent stealth performance, but also integrate advanced electronic warfare systems that can effectively interfere with and lock onto slow targets. In addition, China's increasingly mature space-based satellite reconnaissance network is becoming a "nemesis" for these stealth flying-wing aircraft.

High-orbit synthetic aperture radar (SAR) detects from above, making stealth designs almost ineffective, significantly increasing early warning and continuous tracking capabilities. This means that the U.S. armory aircraft may be destroyed at the airport before takeoff or intercepted remotely during flight, exposing its weakness of relying on forward bases in front of China's full-domain surveillance-strike system.

Strategic differences in the development of large flying-wing drones between China and the United States further highlight the U.S.'s passive position. Chinese platforms such as the "Rainbow-7" not only serve as armory aircraft but also have multiple mission roles including wide-area situational awareness, electromagnetic confrontation, and command nodes, emphasizing the value of the information system rather than merely being a "munition carrier." This low-cost, multi-functional positioning allows China to gain an advantage in the aerial game. In contrast, the U.S. armory aircraft concept, although trying to follow in China's footsteps, is trapped in a technical trap of "being able to catch up, but not afford, protect, or strike hard," essentially "following in China's footsteps and suffering defeat."

In summary, although the U.S. "flying-wing armory aircraft" harbors ambitions to overturn the balance of aerial power, it is fundamentally incapable of achieving this goal due to high costs, technological shortcomings, and survival risks.

China has established a leading position in this field through its anti-stealth system, hypersonic firepower, and drone advantages, and the future aerial landscape will continue to tilt toward China's side.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7556900375068934707/

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