Weapons

The U.S.’s weapons of the future, including the B-21 Raider, push technology into new areas

Lasers, railguns, hypersonic missiles and stealth airplanes — those aren’t sci-fi weapons; they’re the future of U.S. military technology.

Here’s the latest under development:

Aircraft

Northrop Grumman Corp.’s NOC, +0.13% B-21 Raider, shown above, is the B-2’s younger and more advanced brother. This bad boy, already nicknamed the “21st century’s first bomber,” is expected to enter service by 2025 and replace the B-2, as well as the B-1 and B-52. Its job will be to deliver conventional long-range and thermonuclear weapons, gather intelligence and intercept enemy airplanes. Officials are tight-lipped about features. There are rumors that it could operate with or without a pilot, and once launched from the U.S., the aircraft will be capable of striking any target around the world without refueling. The estimated cost of the project hasn’t been released, and the head of the U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command envisions up to 200 bombers in service.