First B-21 Aircraft Marks Ground Testing Milestone

The U.S. Air Force's new Raider stealth bomber is expected to take its first flight next year, Northrop Grumman said.

Tuesday, May 31, 2022 at 02:30 PM ET

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The stealth bomber is designed to carry out long-range conventional and nuclear missions and slated to hit full operations in the mid-2020s. [Courtesy: Northrop Grumman]

Key Takeaways:

The B-21 Raider stealth bomber successfully completed loads calibration testing, validating its structural integrity and remaining on track for its first flight in 2023.
The ground testing also confirmed the effectiveness of Northrop Grumman's digital design process, which aims to reduce production risk and expedite development.
Ellsworth Air Force Base, the future main operating base for the B-21, has begun construction on support facilities as the Air Force prepares to acquire at least 100 of these next-generation aircraft for long-range missions.

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The B-21 Raider, the U.S. Air Force’s next generation of stealth bomber, has successfully completed loads calibration testing and is on track to take its first flight next year, according to Northrop Grumman.

The news emerged as Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota—location of the first operational B-21 Raider unit—broke ground last week on a 95,000-square-foot Low Observable Restoration Facility. The facility is the first of more than 30 projects slated for the base to support the aircraft, the Associated Press reported.