US Air Force Releases First In-Flight Photos of B-21 Raider, Newest Nuclear Stealth Bomber

Just over six months after its inaugural flight in November 2023, the U.S. Air Force has released three images of the B-21 Raider undergoing testing at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Manufacturer Northrop Grumman also released an additional in-flight photo, providing the first official visuals of the bomber since its first flight.

The photos, captured in January and April, depict the B-21 Raider in various stages of testing, including ground testing, taxiing, and flight operations. Two of the Air Force images show the aircraft in left profile, one during takeoff and another at altitude with its landing gear retracted. A third image provides a head-on view of the bomber inside a hangar.

The B-21 Raider was unveiled to the public at a ceremony Dec. 2, 2022 in Palmdale, Calif. The B-21 will provide survivable, long-range, penetrating strike capabilities to deter aggression and strategic attacks against the United States, allies, and partners. (U.S. Air Force photo)

A B-21 Raider conducts flight tests, which includes ground testing, taxiing, and flying operations, at Edwards Air Force Base, California, where it continues to make progress toward becoming the backbone of the U.S. Air Force bomber fleet. The B-21 will possess the range, access, and payload to penetrate the most highly-contested threat environments and hold any target around the globe at risk. The B-21 program is on track to deliver aircraft in the mid-2020s to Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, which will be the first B-21 main operating base and location for the B-21 formal training unit. (DVIDS)

A B-21 Raider conducts flight testing, which includes ground testing, taxiing, and flying operations, at Edwards Air Force Base, California. The B-21 will interoperate with our allies and partners to deliver on our enduring commitment to provide flexible strike options for coalition operations that defend us against common threats. (DVIDS)

The B-21 Raider program is on track and continues flight testing at Northrop Grumman’s manufacturing facility on Edwards Air Force Base, California. The B-21 will have an open architecture to integrate new technologies and respond to future threats across the spectrum of operations. The B-21 Long Range Strike Family of Systems will greatly enhance mission effectiveness and Joint interoperability in advanced threat environments, strengthening U.S. deterrence and strategic advantage. (DVIDS)

Andrew Hunter, the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, reported that the B-21’s flight-test program is progressing well and on schedule. Speaking to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Hunter emphasized that the testing is revealing the platform’s unique characteristics effectively.

The newly released images offer more insight into the B-21’s design, including its narrow, 2-D exhaust embedded in the jet’s tail, a departure from the B-2’s boxy exhaust design. This feature likely aims to disperse the aircraft’s heat signature and maintain a slim profile to enhance its stealth capabilities against radar detection.

The B-21 Raider, developed by Northrop Grumman, is the U.S. military’s first newly developed strategic stealth bomber in over 30 years. Unveiled in December 2022, the B-21 is designed for long-range strike missions and capable of carrying both nuclear and conventional payloads. It is named in honor of the 1942 Doolittle Raid over Tokyo.

Development of the B-21 began in 2015, and it is managed by the U.S. Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office with a strategy focused on building test bombers that are as representative of production models as possible. This approach aims to expedite the start of production and streamline the transition from testing to deployment.

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