The second B-21 carried out its maiden flight and can now be a part of the primary one, which has been flying since 2023 at Edwards Air Power Base.
The second B-21 Raider stealth bomber has flown for the primary time from the Air Power Plant 42 Palmdale, California, on Sep. 11, 2025, with a U.S. Air Power F-16 escorting it in shut formation performing as a chase plane. Equally to the primary one, this B-21 is now anticipated to fly to Edwards Air Power Base, the place it can be a part of the flight testing effort.
The plane is the fourth B-21 total, as the present fleet now consists of two plane devoted to floor testing, designated G-1 and G-2, and the 2 flight check plane, designated T-1 and T-2. Airframe T-1 flew for the primary time on Nov. 10, 2023, whereas it’s unclear when G-1 and G-2 joined the fleet.
The primary flight of T-2 was already anticipated by the top of the yr, with latest feedback by U.S. Air Power officers saying it will fly quickly. Together with T-2, it was reported that six B-21 airframes have been in varied levels of manufacturing at Plant 42.
The U.S. Air Power has presently 100 B-21s on order. Northrop Grumman was awarded the second low-rate preliminary manufacturing contract for the Raider late in 2024 and is now scaling the manufacturing to satisfy the service’s timeline, though latest reviews have instructed that manufacturing is underneath price range and forward of schedule.
We’ll replace this text when new particulars can be found.
Thanks to Jarod Hamilton for capturing this historic occasion. You should definitely take a look at and comply with him on X and Instagram.
