The United States warned China that “Today is not the day to start World War III” after the US Air Force unveiled the latest weapons to counter Beijing’s military advances.
The US is accelerating “testing” and its development The B-21 Raider is a stealth bomber capable of conducting precision long-range strikes anywhere in the world.
The military initially ordered 100 B-21 Raider aircraft, and experts expect more B-21 Raiders to enter service soon thereafter.
The United States unveiled a new bomber just weeks after China’s military unveiled two of its new fighter jets and besieged Taiwan in a surprise exercise in the world’s largest naval demonstration since the end of World War II.
Experts have warned that by 2027, China is expected to outnumber U.S. forces in areas west of the International Date Line, where U.S. forces are deployed.
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is also advancing rapidly, with US officials warning that the pace of its modernization is “unprecedented and far outpacing US efforts.”
“The People’s Liberation Army is the largest and most modern ever. That’s the risk. That’s the uncertainty,” said Brig. Gen., 412th Test Wing commander. Gen. Doug Wickert warned in a briefing earlier this month. “We are the smallest and oldest beings ever.”
Wickert, who heads one of the most important air forces, further argued that the United States “cannot afford” to “take a step back” before announcing the new equipment. A stern warning to the B-21 Raider and Beijing.
“Today is not the day to start World War III, because we have this,” he said, gesturing to a large projection of a bomber.
Brigadier General Doug Wickert, pointing to the projection of a U.S. Air Force B-21 Raider, warned the Chinese government: “Today is not the day to start World War III, because we have this.”
Just weeks after the Chinese military unveiled two of its new fighter jets, the United States unveiled a new bomber. The photo appears to be the first flight of China’s sixth-generation fighter jet, which was widely shared online in December.
This photo appears to show China’s latest stealth fighter jet, which took flight for the first time on December 26, 2024.
Edwards Air Force Base is currently “accelerating” testing of the B-21 bomber, “providing an integrated capability for the fighter,” Wickert said.
“This is one of the many, many things you are working on here that will change (PLA) President Xi Jinping’s calculations about our readiness,” he said. .
U.S. officials said the Chinese military had conducted mock air raids on ships in Taiwan waters in December, forming a two-tier naval blockade to limit sea and air access from the West. , the People’s Liberation Army says it is preparing for conflict.
Beijing’s new ultra-long range fighter jet appears to have departed on its maiden voyage on December 26 last year. The new jet was spotted alongside the current generation fighter jet, the Chengdu J-20.
The plane was seen flying with its standard landing gear open during early testing from the airfield of China’s Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, which develops unmanned aerial vehicles and fighter jets.
China’s new fighter jet is estimated to have the following capabilities:at the edge of the universe And it is designed to target previously unreachable U.S. early warning aircraft and tankers.According to defense news and analysis website The War Zone .
Edwards Air Force Base is currently “accelerating” testing of the B-21 bomber, “providing an integrated capability for the fighter,” Wickert said. The photo is a previously released photo of the B-21 Raider.
An undated photo released by the U.S. Air Force in May 2024 shows a B-21 Raider conducting ground tests, taxiing and flight operations at Edwards Air Force Base, California.
Wickert said that in addition to testing the new jet, the Chinese government has built a full-size replica of Taiwan’s Taichung International Airport in the Gobi Desert, complete with a runway, taxiway and parking lot.
Nearby, the People’s Liberation Army has created a life-size outline of a U.S. Navy Gerald R.
“Do you think we know what they’re doing and what they’re planning?” Wickert said. “Based on what you know now, could you update your assessment of the risks to the world and how important our mission is?”
“That’s why what we’re doing here at Edwards Air Force Base is so important because we’re developing and modernizing and we’re doing things that are going to change President Xi’s calculus. is.”
He added: “We can’t back down just because we have an accident.” Our mission is too important. ”
Wickert also highlighted the threat of Chinese cyber espionage, saying at least “at least a dozen telecommunications companies” had their critical infrastructure “infected” with Beijing’s malware, leaving the U.S. and its Western allies vulnerable. He pointed out that he had admitted that he had caused him to do so.
“The Chinese Communist Party now knows who my government phone has called for at least the last four years, and they’re still there and we can’t get them out,” he said. Ta. “It’s uncertainty. It’s risk. And it’s creating a very, very dangerous world right now.”
The Chinese aircraft appeared in social media posts last month, revealing a large three-engine fighter jet with a diamond-shaped wing without a cockpit and vertical tail. This could help aircraft avoid being detected by radar
China’s new fighter jet (pictured) was spotted flying alongside Beijing’s current generation jet, the Chengdu J-20, in December.
The B-21 is expected to become the backbone of Global Strike Command’s bomber fleet, gradually replacing the B-1 Lancer and B-2 Spirit.
It is a long-range, highly survivable, penetrating strike stealth bomber that will play a critical role in supporting national security objectives and supporting U.S. allies and partners around the world.
The weapon systems are expected to cost $750 million each and are being manufactured under contract between the Air Force and Northrop Grumman. The B-21 Raider weighs approximately 30,000 pounds, has a wingspan of 172 feet, and can reach a top speed of 1,000 miles per hour.
It is touted to be virtually “invisible” to all enemy stealth radars and is equipped with the latest features in military technology.
According to the U.S. Air Force, it is “designed with an open systems architecture that allows for the rapid deployment of mature technologies and maintains the aircraft’s effectiveness against threats that evolve over time.”
Gen. Doug Wickert, commander of the Air Force’s 412th Test Wing, shows off footage of a potential Chinese “sixth generation” fighter jet during a presentation at Edwards Air Force Base, Jan. 6, 2025.
Mr Wickert, who was photographed in front of a projection of Chinese fighter jets on January 6 this year, said the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was also making rapid progress, and that the pace of its modernization was “unprecedented and that the efforts of the United States “It’s far more than that,” he warned.
The B-21 Raider is a nuclear-capable aircraft and the first of its kind to be introduced since the end of the Cold War. In the long term, the Air Force hopes to have at least 220 aircraft to replace the aging B-1 and B-2 bombers.
The agency previously estimated that the program would likely cost at least $203 billion over 30 years to develop, purchase and sustain a B-21 squadron.
The B-21 modernizes all three pillars of the nuclear triad, which also includes silo-launched nuclear ballistic missiles and submarine-launched warheads, as the B-21 moves from counterterrorism operations in recent decades to respond to China’s rapid military power. This is part of the Department of Defense’s efforts to Modernization.
