Originally Posted by
ORAC
B-21 Bomber Estimate By CAPE: $511M A Copy
".....Walden also made clear the Air Force will probably pursue a deep penetrating fighter to accompany the bomber to heavily defended targets deep inside a country. He didn’t say it but my understanding is war games have shown the B-21 is incapable of making it to western China to destroy the missile and artillery units there.........."
A "deep penetrating fighter" is the dream of a lot of fighter jocks, and has nothing to do with aircraft.
My prediction: B-21 will be unmanned. Saves tons of weight. The tech is already here.