The testing marks a monumental moment for the B-21 Raider, which is shaping up to replace the branch's older bombers and become "the backbone" of its "flexible global strike capability," the Air Force said.
Development on the B-21 dates back to 2015, and the aircraft was first unveiled to the public in December 2022. Then, in November 2023, the Raider took its first flight.
We're really starting to strike up quite a cadence [and] generate two flight test flights in a given week," Thomas Jones, Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems sector president, said. "It's been a phenomenal year of progress, and we hope to continue that through the next year.
Per the Pentagon, the B-21 boasts advanced stealth capabilities and can be equipped to deliver stand-off and direct-attack munitions, including both conventional and nuclear payloads.
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