A second B-21 Raider test aircraft arrived at Edwards Air Force Base in California on Thursday, military officials said, as the Pentagon moves quickly with its testing of the advanced nuclear-capable bombers.
The Air Force said the arrival of a second test aircraft at Edwards will let military personnel move beyond the initial set of flight performance checks to more advanced tests of the aircraft, including those dealing with critical mission systems and weapons integration.
Such tests are crucial before the service receives fully operational versions of the B-21, which is manufactured by leading defense contractor Northrop Grumman.
“The addition of a second B-21 to the flight test program accelerates the path to fielding,” Gen. David Allvin, the Air Force Chief of Staff, said in a statement. “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 is viewed as a crucial piece of the Air Force’s modernization and of its slate of future capabilities. Northrop Grumman describes the aircraft as an “an unrivaled stealth bomber,” one capable of operating in extreme weather conditions and virtually any environment.
The aircraft can carry conventional or nuclear payloads, meaning it will play a central role in the military’s broader push to modernize its nuclear capabilities. Gen. Allvin described the B-21 as “a cornerstone of our strategic nuclear modernization.”
At Edwards near Lancaster in Los Angeles County, personnel will work on managing simultaneous aircraft sustainment operations and testing the effectiveness of maintenance tools, technical data and the logistical processes that will support future operational squadrons, the service said.
Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota is slated to eventually receive the first fully operational B-21 Raiders. Northrop Grumman said it’s developing comprehensive training capabilities, including high-fidelity, full-motion simulators, immersive labs and virtual spaces at the base.
