Second B-21 stealth bomber poised for test flight in 2025

A second B-21 Raider nuclear-armed stealth bomber could fly before the end of the year, according to a Defense One report.

“I believe it will happen before the end of the year, but we’re not going to ever give them an artificial date that they have to make if it doesn’t bring the test program along to where they need to be. We’re going to proceed as we can, efficiently, effectively, and with a sense of urgency, but we’re also going to be event-based,” said Lt. Gen. Andrew Gebara, deputy chief of staff for strategic deterrence and nuclear integration, during an event hosted by the Mitchell Institute, Defense One reported.

The Raider first flew in November 2023, a pre-production test aircraft that Northrop Grumman said last year was flying up to twice a week. The bomber is designed to serve as the backbone of America’s future long-range strike force, operating alongside or replacing older B-1 and B-2 bombers.

Northrop Grumman received clearance to begin production last year. The company is now in discussions with the Air Force on ways to speed up manufacturing, following an additional $4.5 billion approved in the reconciliation bill.

Gebara said those funds would help move the program beyond testing.

“We’ve done the initial R&D work, we’ve started the flight test… all these things are great indicators of success and a program that’s on time, on budget and producing, but eventually you have to get to the point where we scale this thing and so that’s very important,” he said.

The Air Force plans to buy 100 B-21s by the mid- to late 2030s, though senior leaders have discussed acquiring as many as 145. Gebara noted that the original program of record may be “insufficient for the future,” but said it will be “a long time” before a decision is made on increasing the buy.