The U.S. Air Force is moving forward with the production and testing of the B-21 Raider stealth bomber following the arrival of the second B-21 aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base last week.
In a press release last Thursday, the Air Force confirmed that the second B-21 Raider flight test aircraft arrived at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The Air Force noted that the arrival of the second B-21 Raider stealth bomber enhances the military branch’s “capacity to conduct comprehensive testing and sustainment training.”
The press release explained that the arrival of the second B-21 Raider aircraft will allow the Air Force to move into the next phases of testing the nation’s first sixth-generation stealth bombers, which will include critical mission systems and weapon integration tests.
“With the arrival of the second B-21 Raider, our flight test campaign gains substantial momentum,” Air Force Secretary Troy Meink stated. “We can now expedite critical evaluations of mission systems and weapons capabilities, directly supporting the strategic deterrence and combat effectiveness envisioned for this aircraft.”
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Davi Allvin noted that the arrival of the second B-21 Raider aircraft accelerates the program’s “path to fielding.”
“By having more assets in the test environment, we bring this capability to our warfighters faster, demonstrating the urgency with which we’re tackling modernization,” Allvin said.
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According to the press release, the B-21 Raider is a sixth-generation stealth strategic bomber that has been designed to deliver nuclear and conventional payloads. The Air Force noted that the new stealth bomber has been produced under the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office in partnership with Northrop Grumman.
“The B-21 Raider program represents a cornerstone of our strategic nuclear modernization,” Allvin said. “The concurrent efforts in testing, sustainment preparation and infrastructure investments clearly illustrate our commitment to providing unmatched capabilities to deter and defeat threats well into the future.”
Following the arrival of the second B-21 Raider stealth bomber, Dr. Rebecca Grant, vice president of the Lexington Institute, warned that the production of additional B-21 bombers “can’t come soon enough” as the United States is currently running low on stealth bombers.
“With just 19 B-2s left, the need for a big operational fleet of B-21 Raiders is intense,” Grant warned.
Grant argued that the B-21 Raider helps the U.S. Air Force remain “miles ahead of rivals” and suggested that the U.S. military needs the sixth-generation stealth bombers to counter China’s aggression, especially in the Pacific region.
A picture of the second B-21 Raider was shared Thursday on X, formerly Twitter, by Northrop Grumman.