The newest B-21 Raider took off from Northrop Grumman’s manufacturing facility in Palmdale, California and arrived at Edwards Air Force Base after completing a test flight.
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The next phase of flight test moves beyond flight performance and into the weapons and mission systems that make B-21 an unrivaled stealth bomber. An enhanced software package will demonstrate how Northrop Grumman will deliver seamless upgrades to the B-21 fleet, ensuring its mission capability and weapons evolve to outpace any threat. The flight test expansion complements a robust ground test campaign that includes multiple B-21 aircraft. Engineers have rigorously tested the B-21 to certify it can fly in the most extreme mission conditions and are demonstrating the B-21’s durability by simulating lifetimes of flight conditions. These test results continue to consistently outperform digital modeling predictions, reinforcing confidence in the B-21’s performance and progress.
Northrop Grumman is preparing the Air Force to operate and maintain the B-21 through its advanced training and 6th gen fleet management tools. The company is developing comprehensive training capabilities – to include high-fidelity, full-motion simulators, immersive labs and virtual spaces – as part of the Air Force’s Formal Training Unit at Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota. Northrop Grumman is creating training content and devices for future pilots, weapons loaders, maintainers and support personnel to operate the world’s most advanced aircraft.
Concurrent with the expanded flight-testing effort, fiscal year 2026 will see the launch of extensive military construction projects at all three designated B-21 main operating bases. Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota, the first base set to receive operational B-21 aircraft, is already progressing rapidly on numerous infrastructure projects to ensure readiness when the aircraft arrive.
