Northrop Grumman flies second B-21 Raider test aircraft

A second B-21 Raider flight-test aircraft completed its maiden flight over Palmdale, California, on September 11, according to the U.S. Air Force. The aircraft was seen by observers flying with its landing gear retracted, escorted by a Lockheed Martin F-16 chase plane.

The milestone comes about a month before the tenth anniversary of the Air Force's contract award to Northrop Grumman for the bomber program, and nearly 22 months after the first B-21 test aircraft flew for the first time in November 2023.

Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said the addition of a second flying test aircraft would allow the program to expedite evaluations of mission systems and weapons capabilities, which he linked to the aircraft's intended role in strategic deterrence and combat effectiveness.

Northrop Grumman assembles the B-21 inside a facility at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale. New test aircraft are required to fly out of the public airport there before relocating to a secure test area at nearby Edwards Air Force Base, where further flight testing is expected to take place.

No further details on the aircraft's test schedule, capabilities demonstrated during the flight, or timeline for additional test aircraft were disclosed.