The U.S. Air Force’s aging bomber fleet got good news. The first new B-21 Raider bomber is complete and has entered ground testing, paving the way for a first flight later this year. At the same time, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall says he wants an unmanned bomber that costs half as much as the B-21, one the service would send on its most dangerous missions.
Ground testing typically works to test and verify everything possible while a brand-new plane is still on the ground. It involves validating mechanical components—such as the flaps, rudders, ailerons, refueling probes, and landing gear—work correctly. It also involves making sure the various electromagnetic systems, such as radar, navigation systems, and communications, don’t interfere with one another.
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The B-21 is set to be revealed to the public later this year. Its first flight has been pushed back from December 2021 to sometime in mid-2022, but that’s a minor setback for such an ambitious program. Currently, there are six B-21s in various stages of production at the Air Force’s secret Plant 42 in Antelope Valley, California.
The B-21 will eventually replace the 62 B-1B Lancer bombers and 20 B-2A Spirit bombers that the Air Force currently operates, and will be capable of conducting both conventional attack and nuclear weapons delivery missions. The Air Force wants at least 100 B-21s, and ideally up to 200.
