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 has successfully completed loads calibration testing, validating its structural integrity and digital design process, and remains on schedule for its first flight in 2023.
Ellsworth Air Force Base, designated as the first operational B-21 unit, has broken ground on a 95,000-square-foot Low Observable Restoration Facility, one of more than 30 planned support projects.
The aircraft's successful ground testing validates the advanced digital engineering methods used in its development, which aim to reduce production risks and expedite the build process.
The U.S. Air Force intends to acquire at least 100 B-21s to serve as the backbone of its bomber force for long-range conventional and nuclear missions, with full operations projected for the mid-2020s.

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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.