The US Air Force's second B-21 Raider nuclear bomber has taken to the skies for the first time. The second of a planned fleet of 100, the sixth-gen aircraft took off from Northrop Grumman's Palmdale, California facility on September 11 at 8:00 am.
Thursday's maiden flight of the B-21 took place less than two years after the first prototype flew on November 10, 2023 from the same location. This marks a major acceleration of the testing program for the bomber that will work alongside and eventually replace the Air Force's fleet of B-1B, B-2, and B-52 bombers that form the airborne leg of the US nuclear deterrent force.
After taking off, the high-tech stealth warplane flew to Edwards Air Force Base in California, where it landed in front of the news media and invited guests. According to the Air Force, the arrival of the second B-21 will expand the test program beyond initial flight performance checks into comprehensive testing and sustainability training, as well as certifying critical mission systems and the integration of weapon systems.
Officially known as the Long Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B), the B-21 Raider was conceived in 2011 as a replacement for America's aging heavy bomber fleet that could carry both nuclear and conventional weapons, provide state-of-the-art stealth capabilities, yet not require the special storage and maintenance facilities of the temperamental B-2.
With a wingspan of 132 ft (40.2 m), the flying wing aircraft is slightly smaller than the B-2, yet can still haul a payload of 20,000 lb (9,072 kg) at a speed in excess of Mach 0.8 over an intercontinental range that is classified, but will allow it to strike anywhere in the world from the continental United States thanks to two Pratt & Whitney PW9000 non-afterburning turbofan engines.
The bomber boasts advanced stealth capabilities, with lines designed to disperse any incoming radar signals. In fact, the only extensive flat areas on the craft are the bomb bays on its belly. In addition, the B-21 has AI flight systems that make it autonomous and pilot-optional for certain missions.
Exactly when the aircraft is expected to become operational is classified, though sources suggest that it could be as early as 2027, with the first operational squadrons to be based at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota. As more aircraft come off the production line, they will be assigned to Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, and Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. The projected cost of each one is an eye-watering US$692 million in 2022 dollars.
"[An] addition of a second B-21 to the flight test program accelerates the path to fielding," said Air Force Chief of Staff General David Allvin. “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.
"The B-21 Raider program represents a cornerstone of our strategic nuclear modernization. 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."
Source: US Air Force
