First B-21 bomber enters ground testing, ‘on track for first flight’

[Valin]

Defense News

Stephen Losey

Mar. 4 2022

ORLANDO, Fla. — The first B-21 Raider bomber has entered the ground test phase, paving the way for its expected rollout this year and subsequent first flight.

Northrop Grumman now has six of the stealthy, next-generation aircraft in various stages of production, Darlene Costello, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics, said in a Friday roundtable with reporters at the Air Force Association’s Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Florida.

Tom Jones, Northrop’s Aeronautics Systems president, also confirmed in a statement that the first Raider is now undergoing ground tests.

Costello said that with the start of testing on that B-21, “we are on track for first flight [and] we’re holding to our schedule.” She would not go into further detail on plans for the B-21.

(Snip)

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Feb. 17 2022