Go Bold #33: The Bleeding Edge: Major-General (Ret) Doug Raaberg speaks about the new B-21 Raider stealth bomber

We at Go Bold pride ourselves on documenting important events in aerospace and defence, so the 2nd of December 2022, is a day that will be remembered as a significant milestone in aviation history.That's when the United States Air Force and the Northrop Grumman Corporation unveils the new B-21 stealth bomber, which is named the Raider, in honor of the Doolittle Raid in World War II. The rollout at Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, is significant in its own right, but the bomber marks another major milestone as it is regarded as the first 6th Generation aircraft in existence.Here to speak about the B-21 is a guest who is eminently qualified to discuss the topic, and that is retired Major-General Doug Raaberg, who served with the United States Air Force.General Raaberg is an Honor Graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and holds master’s degrees from the University of Southern California and National War College.He is a command pilot with more than 4,700 flying hours, primarily in the FB-111, B-1 and B-2 bombers. He is a combat veteran with 35 combat missions in the B-1 bomber, and holds the world’s record for the fastest non-stop flight around the globe. For this historical aerial achievement, he and his team received the 1995 McKay Trophy for the U.S. Air Force Most Meritorious Flight of the Year Award.General Raaberg commanded the United States only B-2 stealth-bomber wing which is known to have spearheaded the air campaign for Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.His general officer assignments include Director of Air and Space Operations for Air Combat Command. Additionally, he has extensive experience in international military affairs orchestrating regional operations as the Deputy Director of Operations for U.S. Central Command. Today General Raaberg serves as the Executive Vice President, Air & Space Forces Association, providing strategic direction to AFA as the premier professional military and aerospace education association in the nation. He serves with the AFA President in their commitment to supporting Airmen and their families around the globe.In speaking about the B-21, the General predicts that it will be a "menace" to adversaries.We are excited for the rollout of the B-21 and for the future of the Global Strike Command, so we hope this discussion adds some context to the significance of the rollout event.We thank Major-General (Ret) Raaberg for this time and insight.Go Bold!