The B-21 stealth bomber kickstarts sixth-generation military aerospace

After years spent hidden away, the next-generation aircraft of the U.S. Air Force’s long-range bomber fleet was unveiled to the public for the first time during a special ceremony late last year, marking a major milestone for the sixth generation of military aerospace.

"Fifty years of advances in low-observable technology have gone into this aircraft," said Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at the unveiling. "Even the most sophisticated air-defense systems will struggle to detect a B-21 in the sky."

Developed to deliver conventional and nuclear weapons while remaining nearly invisible to radar, the B-21 Raider is slated to serve as the backbone of the Air Force’s bomber fleet once its development is finished this decade. It’s expected to eventually supplant B-1 Lancers and B-2s currently in service and serve alongside modified B-52 Stratofortresses – America’s workhorse heavy bomber since the 1950s.

The Air Force plans to purchase at least 100 Raiders, with the aircraft expected to make its first flight in 2023.

While details have mostly been kept under wraps so far, the world’s “first sixth-generation aircraft” is designed with open system architecture. It’s projected to be capable beyond its years and feature enough software and hardware flexibility to keep pace with evolving technologies over the next several decades.

The B-21 is most likely going to possess state-of-the-art avionics, stealth, and weapons systems that are firmly in the tier expected from sixth-generation aircraft. Constructing and operating these types of systems requires advanced interconnects capable of transferring significant amounts of data and power very quickly. And with the B-21 speculated to be capable of a 6,000-mile range and even more with mid-air refueling, any connectors used on this aircraft must be able to operate flawlessly under harsh circumstances in every aerospace environment on Earth.

Data will dominate sixth-generation military aerospace

• Advanced sensors and avionics: These aircraft are expected to feature advanced sensors capable of gathering and processing vast amounts of data from their surrounding environment. Sophisticated avionics could enable flight and operational capabilities far beyond that of current technology and bolstered by the integration of AI.
• Network capabilities: Sixth-generation aircraft are expected to be able to smoothly integrate with other systems, such as air and ground platforms as well as satellites, to share data, coordinate operations, and provide command, control and communications (C3) functions.
• Advanced weapons systems: These aircraft are expected to feature advanced weapons systems that can engage a wide variety of targets with precision accuracy. This may feature both the incorporation of traditional munitions as well as new technology such as directed energy weapons.

While exact data requirements are unknown because the technology is still being researched and developed, these capabilities will require rugged and durable aerospace assemblies and interconnect systems capable of gathering, processing, and facilitating the rapid exchange of high-speed data between systems and subsystems within the aircraft such as sensor data, navigation data, and control signals. Amphenol R-VPX interconnects are an optimal interconnect solution for tackling these challenges.

There are several other theoretical ways R-VPX connectors could be utilized on sixth-generation aircraft, including but not limited to:

• Redundancy: Providing redundant data paths between subsystems to ensure continuity of operations in case of a primary system failure.
• Scalability: Providing scalable and modular architecture that allows for easy integration of new subsystems or upgrades to existing subsystems.
• Weight reduction: Reducing weight on the aircraft by providing a more compact and lightweight solution compared to traditional interconnects.
• Cybersecurity: Implementing cybersecurity measures to protect the aircraft's systems from cyber-attacks and ensure the integrity of the aircraft's data.

Amphenol R-VPX solutions

The MIL-HD2 was developed in alignment with The Open Group Sensor Open Systems Architecture™ (SOSA™) technical standard and provides a ruggedized, open architecture solution capable of very high speeds for applications where space requirements and density come at a premium.

Configurations to meet SOSA/VITA 91 requirements for HD Switch.

For more information and to view our full line of VITA products, visit Amphenol Aerospace VITA High-Speed Connectors.