Three B-21 Stealth Bomber Prototypes Have Begun Flight Testing

America’s sixth-generation stealth bomber is closer to full-scale production.

According to reports, three B-21 Raider prototypes are actively participating in flight testing, propelling the program forward.

B-21 Raider in Flight Tests

At least three B-21 Raider prototypes are participating in flight testing as part of the program’s initial steps to an operational fleet.

Revealed in 2022, the B-21 Raider is moving at a fast pace. Northrup Grumman, the manufacturer, is conducting the initial flight testing for the program. Data gathered during this phase will be used in the subsequent production of the B-21 Raider fleet.

All in all, the new stealth strategic bomber has been in production for over a decade, and the Air Force wants an operational capability before the decade is out. In addition to flight testing, the prototypes are testing new technology on board the B-21 Raider.

The B-21 Raider

The B-21 Raider is designed to cement the U.S. Air Force’s global strike capability. The U.S. military already has superior strategic bombing capabilities with its fleet comprised of the B-1 Lancer, B-2 Spirit, and B-52 Stratofortress (and potentially the F-117 Night Hawk for some niche missions). The addition of the B-21 Raider in place of the B-2 Spirit will ensure that the Air Force’s global strike capabilities remain cutting-edge.

However, the additional capability won’t come cheap. Although Northrup Grumman and the Air Force are still haggling over the price of the new stealth bomber, it is likely that each B-21 Raider will cost between $600 and 750 million. That is an extremely high price tag and the equivalent of about six F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jets. And yet, it is up to $1.4 billion cheaper compared to the B-2 Spirit it will be replacing, which costs an astronomical $2 billion per aircraft.

The Pentagon has been careful about releasing information on the stealth strategic bomber’s actual capabilities. Back in 2022, when Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin unveiled the aircraft during a ceremony, he provided some intel on the aircraft’s bomber capabilities, low-observability, and durability.

“Let’s talk about the B-21’s range. No other long-range bomber can match its efficiency. It won’t need to be based in-theater. It won’t need logistical support to hold any target at risk,” Austin had said.

As a strategic bomber, the B-21 Raider will need to fly thousands of miles to reach targets deep inside a near-peer adversary’s territory. It needs to be efficient with its energy consumption while retaining its stealth characteristics.

“Let’s talk about the B-21’s stealth. Fifty years of advances in low-observable technology have gone into this aircraft. And even the most sophisticated air-defense systems will struggle to detect a B-21 in the sky,” the outgoing Secretary of Defense had added.

The U.S. military is a leader in stealth technology and already has three stealth aircraft in active service, more than any other country: the F-22 Raptor, F-35 Lightning II, and B-2 Spirit.

Finally, Austin gave some information on the B-21 Raider’s durability. An aircraft that can’t fly because of maintenance issues is not very useful. “Let’s talk about the B-21’s durability,” he said. “You know, we really don’t have a capability unless we can maintain it. And the B-21 is carefully designed to be the most maintainable bomber ever built,” the Pentagon’s top official added.

Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from Johns Hopkins University and an MA from Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.

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