A Northrop spokesman explained on 19 September that tail No. 1’s primary role is to “validate flight sciences, handling qualities and envelope expansion. With this second test aircraft we move into a more advanced stage of testing: the weapons and mission systems that make the B-21 Raider a stealth bomber.” The company added that the second aircraft carries “an enhanced software package [which] 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 Air Force has confirmed the bomber will be able to carry the B61 nuclear bomb, the AGM-181 Long-Range Stand Off nuclear missile, and the next-generation penetrator, a successor to the AGM-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator. It is also expected to carry a wide range of other ground-attack munitions.
Northrop said the arrival of the second B-21 in flight test “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.”
Both B-21s are assigned to the 420th Test Squadron at Edwards Air Force Base, and the Air Force has said the addition of a second flying test aircraft will accelerate the campaign. The service has not specified how long the evaluation phase will last before declaring the aircraft operational, though Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota is planned as the first base to receive operational B-21s.
Northrop stated it is “scaling and ready to accelerate production, while partnering with the Air Force on the training and tools they need to field and operate this capability, maximizing the benefit B-21 brings to national defense with speed.” Congress has recently added $4.5 billion for B-21 production, though neither the Air Force nor lawmakers have clarified how much annual capacity will increase or how many bombers are currently in production.
The Air Force continues to list its requirement as “at least 100” B-21s, though senior commanders have suggested a larger fleet may be needed. Gen. Thomas A. Bussiere, head of Air Force Global Strike Command, and Gen. Anthony J. Cotton, head of U.S. Strategic Command, have both said that 145 B-21s would meet expected operational demand, while some think tanks have argued a force closer to 200 would be necessary as the B-1B and B-2 fleets retire in the early 2030s.
Source: Air and Space Forces Magazine.
