B-21 Flight Testing, Production ‘Continues to Make Progress,’ Air Force Says

Test pilots report the jet is performing as expected with the aircraft flying like the simulator, Northrop Grumman said.

Thursday, May 23, 2024 at 03:55 PM ET

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A B-21 Raider conducts ground testing, taxiing, and flying operations at Edwards Air Force Base, California. [Courtesy: U.S. Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

The B-21 Raider stealth bomber is making good progress in its flight testing and low-rate production.
Test pilots report the aircraft is performing as expected, consistent with its digital simulator, during its ongoing test campaign.
Six B-21 bombers are currently in various stages of final assembly and testing.
The B-21 is intended to be the backbone of the U.S. Air Force bomber fleet, replacing B-1 and B-2 fleets by the mid-2020s, with plans to acquire at least 100 aircraft.

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The B-21 Raider “continues to make progress” in flight testing and production, the U.S. Air Force said Wednesday.

The stealth strike bomber was unveiled in December 2022 and officially moved into low-rate production earlier this year. In January, Northrop Grumman said six B-21 bombers are in various stages of final assembly and testing at its facility in Palmdale, California.