American Air Force ramps up B‑21 bomber tests ahead of 2023 deadline

Tests of the American B-21 bomber are gaining momentum. The US Air Force and Northrop Grumman are accelerating work related to both ground tests and those conducted in flight. All this is to ensure that the machines can be deployed before the end of this decade. According to The War Zone, the bomber sometimes takes to the skies twice a week. The US Air Force has just released new official footage from one of these B-21 test flights.

Americans are doing everything to ensure that the B-21 Raider bombers, set to replace the ageing fleet of B-1B and B-2 Spirit bombers, are introduced into service before the end of 2023. Recently, information emerged that in addition to Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, where the first machines will arrive, the future bombers will also be stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri and Dyess Air Force Base in Texas. The Americans plan to deploy one hundred of these aircraft, but there are still discussions about the possibility of increasing that number.

The latest footage, released by the US Air Force, shows additional flight trials of the B-21 bomber. It is worth recalling that it first took to the skies in early November 2023. Since then, intensive work related to its development has been conducted. The footage can be viewed below:

The B-21 Raider is a bomber utilising stealth technology, which includes a range of solutions to make its detection by available observation and reconnaissance means difficult. The machine is designed to operate undetected by radar systems. Two Pratt & Whitney engines power it, and it can reach up to 1,000 km/h. Thanks to its design, the B-21 Raider can operate at altitudes up to 15,000 meters and has a range of up to 11,000 kilometres. The bomber is equipped to carry various types of armaments, including both conventional and nuclear weapons.

Stealth technology and the ability to cover long distances complement its capacity to carry conventional and nuclear arsenals, making the B-21 a powerful weapon for the USA. Manufacturers claim that the new bomber will be able to penetrate the most challenging enemy air defences to deliver precise strikes anywhere in the world. Additionally, the B-21 is expected to be one of the main components of the American nuclear triad (alongside submarines and intercontinental ballistic missiles) in the future, forming a nuclear deterrent system against enemies.