Northrop Grumman Delivers Second B-21 Stealth Bomber for Flight Tests

Northrop Grumman has delivered a second B-21 stealth bomber for flight tests to Edwards Air Force Base, enhancing the Air Force's testing and training capacity. The Air Force is requesting $5 billion for continued B-21 research and $5.5 billion for production, with the program on track to meet cost, schedule, and performance goals. Five more test aircraft are being built on the same production line as combat-ready aircraft.

Northrop Grumman Corp. has delivered a second B-21 stealth bomber to Edwards Air Force Base, marking a significant milestone in the development of the nation's sixth-generation stealth bomber Second Northrop B-21 Stealth Bomber Ready for Flight Tests^[1]. The arrival of the new B-21, known as the Raider, will enhance the Air Force's capacity to conduct comprehensive testing and sustainment training, according to a statement from the service.

The Air Force is requesting nearly $5 billion for continued B-21 research and $5.5 billion for production in the fiscal year beginning October 1, a request that is double this year's $5.25 billion ask Second Northrop B-21 Stealth Bomber Ready for Flight Tests^[1]. The program is executing its flight and ground testing in parallel with low-rate initial production at Northrop, with five more test aircraft being built on the same production line as combat-ready aircraft.

The B-21 is designed to deliver both conventional and nuclear payloads and has so far met its cost, schedule, and performance goals, according to service offices Second Northrop B-21 Stealth Bomber Ready for Flight Tests^[1]. Flight testing includes ground testing, taxiing, and flying operations. The new, smaller B-21 Raider is expected to carry only one MOP, unlike the B-2 bomber, which can store two internally to preserve its stealth.

Separately, the U.S. Air Force has awarded a contract for the design of a next-generation bunker-buster bomb to replace the 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) The US Air Force is eyeing a new bunker-buster bomb to replace the ones used to strike Iran's nuclear sites^[2]. The new bomb, expected to eventually succeed the MOP, is being developed by the New Mexico-based research and engineering firm Applied Research Associates. The contract, awarded by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Munitions Directorate, is for a two-year period to build and test sub-scale and full-scale prototype munitions.

The new bunker-buster bomb, designated as the Next Generation Penetrator (NGP), is expected to have a weight limit of 22,000 pounds and be capable of defeating hard and deeply buried targets. The Air Force has requested that the munition be highly accurate and have a navigation system capable of operating in GPS-denied environments. Boeing will design and develop the NGP's tail kit.

These developments highlight the Air Force's ongoing efforts to modernize its arsenal and maintain its strategic advantage in the face of evolving global threats. The B-21 program and the new bunker-buster bomb represent significant investments in the nation's defense capabilities.