You’ve seen the movies. That smooth, black triangle sliding through the night, totally invisible to radar, dropping payloads before the "bad guys" even know what hit them. For decades, the B-2 Spirit has been the face of that mystery. But it’s 2026 now. Things are changing. You might be wondering if the U.S. still holds the only keys to this particular kingdom.
Honestly? It's complicated.
If we’re talking about "active, operational, ready-to-fight-tonight" stealth bombers, the answer is still a pretty lonely "no." The United States is currently the only nation on the planet with a dedicated fleet of strategic stealth bombers in service. But that’s a half-truth that misses the bigger, scarier picture developing in hangars across Eurasia.
Do other countries have stealth bombers in the works?
The short answer is yes, they’re trying. Hard.
China and Russia have been chasing this ghost for a long time. They aren't just sitting back and watching the U.S. Air Force roll out the new B-21 Raider. In fact, satellite imagery and leaked "state-sanctioned" teasers suggest the gap is closing, even if the finish line keeps moving.
China’s Xi’an H-20: The "Coming Soon" Giant
China is the closest contender. Their project, the Xi’an H-20, is basically the holy grail of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF).
For years, we’ve seen those "under the tarp" reveal videos that look like a car commercial. You know the ones. But by early 2026, the chatter has gotten a lot louder. Recent satellite captures near Xinjiang suggest that flying-wing prototypes are moving past the "maybe" stage.
- Range: It’s looking like 8,500 to 10,000 kilometers.
- Design: Heavy flying-wing vibes, very similar to the American B-2.
- The "Why": China wants to reach the "Second Island Chain"—think Guam and beyond—without needing a massive tanker fleet that gets picked up on radar.
Pentagon officials are skeptical, though. They argue that while it looks like a stealth bomber, the actual radar-absorbent coating and engine heat suppression might not be up to U.S. standards. Still, if it flies, the "U.S. only" club officially closes its doors.
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Russia’s PAK DA: A Project in Limbo
Then there’s Russia. Their project is called the PAK DA (Prospective Aviation Complex for Long-Range Aviation). It sounds intimidating, but the reality is a bit messy.
Russia has been busy. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has sucked up a lot of their R&D budget. Instead of a fleet of stealth bombers, they’ve mostly been modernizing their old Tu-160 "White Swans" (which are fast but definitely not stealthy).
That said, the PAK DA is still "alive." It’s designed to be a subsonic flying wing, much like the others. Russian state media claimed flight tests would start in 2026. Whether they actually have a working airframe or just a very expensive mock-up is the multi-billion dollar question. Most analysts think Russia is at least five to ten years behind China in this specific race.
The "Stealth Fighter" Confusion
One thing people get wrong all the time is confusing stealth fighters with stealth bombers.
A lot of countries have stealth aircraft now. The F-35 is everywhere—the UK, Israel, Japan, Germany—they all fly it. China has the J-20 (Mighty Dragon), and Russia has the Su-57.
But a stealth bomber is a different beast entirely.
- Size: Fighters are small and agile. Bombers are huge, carrying enough fuel and ordnance to cross oceans.
- Shape: Modern stealth bombers are "flying wings." They don't have tails. Why? Because tail fins are like giant "Hey, I'm here!" signs for certain types of low-frequency radar.
- Role: A fighter clears the air. A bomber dismantles a nation’s infrastructure.
So, when you hear "Do other countries have stealth bombers?" and someone says, "Yeah, China has the J-20," they’re actually talking about a fighter. It’s like comparing a high-end sports car to a long-haul semi-truck that's also a ghost.
Why is it so hard to build one?
Money. Pure, ridiculous amounts of money.
The B-2 Spirit famously cost about $2 billion per plane. That’s not a typo. Even the newer B-21 Raider, which uses "digital engineering" to keep costs down, is still a massive drain on the treasury.
It’s not just the metal and the engines. It’s the "stealth" part. To make a giant plane disappear, you need:
- Exotic Materials: Coatings that soak up radar waves instead of bouncing them back.
- Engine Burials: You have to hide the hot exhaust deep inside the wing so heat-seeking sensors can't see it from below.
- Supercomputing: You need massive processing power just to keep a tail-less wing stable in the air.
Most countries look at that bill and decide that a few dozen F-35s or some long-range missiles are a better deal.
What's happening right now in 2026?
As of this week, the B-21 Raider is the king of the hill. It’s currently in low-rate initial production, and the U.S. is testing multiple airframes at Edwards Air Force Base. It’s designed to be a "digital" bomber, meaning they can update the software like you update your iPhone.
China is likely to pull the curtain off the H-20 any day now—if they haven't already by the time you're reading this. They need the propaganda win. Russia is likely to keep talking about the PAK DA while actually just building more cruise missiles.
Actionable Insights: How to Track the Race
If you want to know who’s winning the stealth race without being a general at the Pentagon, keep an eye on these three things:
- Commercial Satellite Imagery: Look for "mega-hangars" being built at places like China’s Xian-Yan'an airbase. Big planes need big houses.
- Engine Tech: Watch for news about "high-bypass turbofans" in China. Their biggest struggle has been building reliable, powerful engines that don't glow like a campfire on infrared sensors.
- The "Loyal Wingman" Trend: Many countries are giving up on manned stealth bombers and building stealthy drones (UCAVs) instead. Australia's "Ghost Bat" or the European "nEUROn" might be the "stealth bombers" of the future—smaller, cheaper, and pilot-free.
The era of the U.S. having a total monopoly on stealth bombers is ending. It’s not over yet, but the "For Sale" sign on stealth technology is starting to catch a lot of global eyes.
Next Steps: To get a better sense of how these planes actually hide, look up the difference between "VHF radar" and "X-band radar." It explains why even a "stealth" plane isn't always 100% invisible.