Americas new stealth B-21 Raider takes next step with second bombers first flight

A second B-21 Raider bomber has flown for the first time in California, the Air Force announced Thursday, a milestone officials say will accelerate testing of America’s first new long-range bomber in more than three decades.“With the arrival of the second B-21 Raider, our flight test campaign gains substantial momentum,” Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said in a statement.He added the service can now begin integrating weapons and mission systems into the bomber.Until now, flight testing has been limited mainly to performance checks.The B-21, built by Northrop Grumman, is the world’s first sixth-generation aircraft and will be capable of carrying both nuclear and conventional weapons.Its stealth design is intended to penetrate deep into enemy territory and operate against increasingly advanced air defenses being fielded by China, Russia and other adversaries.The new bomber follows in the lineage of the Cold War-era B-52 Stratofortress, the supersonic B-1 Lancer and the radar-evading B-2 Spirit. Unlike the B-2, which cost roughly $2 billion per plane and was ultimately limited to a fleet of 21, the B-21 has been designed with a lower price tag of about $800 million per aircraft and with an open systems architecture to allow for easier technological upgrades.The B-2, still in service, recently flew combat missions during US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites in June. Air Force leaders have said the service plans to buy at least 100 B-21s, which will operate alongside a fleet of 76 modernized B-52 Stratofortress aircraft well into the future.Together, the two aircraft will form the backbone of America’s bomber force, providing both long-range strike and nuclear deterrence capabilities as part of the US nuclear triad.Morning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more.

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