Yes, China is likely highly concerned about the B-21 Raider, as it poses a significant challenge to its military strategy, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region. Here’s why:
1. Stealth and Penetration Capabilities
• Next-Generation Stealth Technology:
The B-21 is designed to evade advanced radar systems, including those in China’s Integrated Air Defense System (IADS). This compromises China’s ability to detect and intercept incoming threats.
• Penetrating Heavily Defended Airspace:
The B-21 can strike key Chinese military targets deep within mainland China, bypassing air defense systems. This makes strategic facilities, such as missile bases, command centers, and logistics hubs, vulnerable to precision strikes.
2. Strategic Reach
• Long-Range Operations:
The B-21 can conduct missions from secure bases far from China’s reach, such as those in the continental U.S., Guam, or Australia, reducing reliance on forward bases vulnerable to missile strikes.
• Standoff Weapons:
Equipped with advanced weapons like JASSM-ER, hypersonic missiles, and nuclear payloads, the B-21 can engage high-value targets without entering contested zones, further complicating China’s defense planning.
3. Threat to Anti-Access/Area-Denial (A2/AD) Strategy
• China’s A2/AD strategy relies on long-range missile systems, advanced radars, and naval forces to keep U.S. assets at bay. The B-21:
• Can penetrate A2/AD defenses to neutralize critical nodes such as SAM sites, radar installations, and ballistic missile launchers.
• Disrupts China’s confidence in its ability to maintain control over the First and Second Island Chains.
4. Nuclear Deterrence
• As part of the U.S. nuclear triad, the B-21 enhances the U.S.’s ability to deliver nuclear strikes. This forces China to account for its role in potential escalation scenarios, adding complexity to its strategic calculus.
5. Psychological Impact
• Demonstrating Technological Superiority:
The B-21 symbolizes U.S. military innovation, reinforcing the credibility of American power projection in the Indo-Pacific.
• Pressure on Resources:
To counter the B-21, China must invest heavily in counter-stealth technology, early warning systems, and redundant defenses, diverting resources from other priorities.
6. Taiwan Conflict Scenario
• In the event of a conflict over Taiwan:
• The B-21 could target Chinese naval assets, airbases, and logistics hubs in southern China, disrupting invasion operations.
• It could also neutralize China’s ballistic missile capabilities threatening U.S. bases in the region.
7. Countermeasures
• Development of Counter-Stealth Technology:
China is likely accelerating research into quantum radars, passive detection systems, and multi-static radar networks to detect and track stealth aircraft.
• Enhancing Long-Range Strike Capabilities:
By developing hypersonic missiles and long-range bombers, China seeks to deter B-21 deployments and threaten its launch points.
Conclusion
China is indeed concerned about the B-21 Raider due to its ability to bypass defenses, strike deep into Chinese territory, and challenge the effectiveness of China’s A2/AD strategy. The bomber’s advanced capabilities force China to reassess its military planning and invest heavily in countermeasures, underscoring its strategic importance in the U.S.-China rivalry.
