The wait is finally over as the stealth bomber B21 Raider is all set to make its first appearance at the end of this year. Pentagon has been deeply engrossed in this project for years in order to scale up its operations, and recently, as per Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics Andrew Hunter, the mighty B21 could soon be coming. It should be noted that the revelation of this fascinating new development would be conducted in a very confidential event which is going to be held at “Plant 42 in Palmdale, California”, and only the invited persons would be allowed to attend, as endorsed by Northrop Grumman in a press release.
However, no other details have been disclosed by the Assistant Secretary regarding the event, but we can make a wild guess from the reports of the recent press releases by Northrop Grumman that the event will be addressing some generic details of the B21 Raider and will focus on getting an “exclusive view.” According to Tom Jones, who is a corporate vice president and president of Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems, “Northrop Grumman is proud of our partnership with the U.S. Air Force as we deliver the B-21 Raider, a sixth-generation aircraft optimized for operations in highly contested environments.”
One of the most interesting details that came out today from the press release of Northrop Grumman is that there are around six B21 Raider Bombers available at Plant 42 and that, too, under “different stages of production”. Furthermore, the first official flight of the Raider will likely be held next year rather than this year, as was anticipated previously. As per the press release, “The actual timing of the first flight will be based on ground test outcomes.” Moreover, there is no information available as of now regarding the cost and operational schedule of the bomber.
Doug Young, who is a sector vice president and general manager of Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems, said, “The B-21 is the most advanced military aircraft ever built and is a product of pioneering innovation and technological excellence. The Raider showcases the dedication and skills of the thousands of people working every day to deliver this aircraft.”
