The US Air Force and Northrop Grumman revealed a short video of the B-21 Raider nuclear bomber taking off at the Air, Space, and Cyber Conference in Washington, DC, on September 18, 2024. It showcased the aircraft making some landing maneuvers by its profile.
There was a panel with General Thomas Bussiere, Major General Jason Armagost, William Bailey, and Thomas Jones who gave an update on the B-21 program. The good news is that the B-21 prototype G-1 has completed its structural integrity tests successfully— verifying it to be of ample strength and alignment with digital models. Northrop Grumman has delivered three prototypes in various configurations to the Air Force. These prototypes are almost final production representative which allows the testing process to be well advanced. Over the past year, test flights have been twice weekly and ongoing into two weeks of fatigue testing, as well.
The B-21 is slated to gradually replace the aging B-1 Lancer and B-2 Spirit bombers, with the fleet eventually replacing the iconic B-52 Stratofortress by the 2050s. As part of the US nuclear triad, the B-21 will serve as the airborne deterrent, alongside land-based ICBMs and submarine-launched SLBMs.
Under current plans, 100 B-21 bombers will be built, with the first deliveries expected at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota by 2027, followed by bases in Missouri and Texas.
General Bussiere emphasized the bomber’s role in national defense, stating, “The B-21 fleet will provide great comfort to our allies and great pause to adversaries. Nobody on the planet can build an exquisite, technologically advanced platform like the B-21.”
