Aviation Week reported on a memo by the top of AFGSC that recommends a shift from present plans for 2 pilots on the B-21 Raider to a pilot and weapon methods officer (WSO) mixture.
“Unleashing the Raider’s full potential calls for a posh mix of expertise: airmanship, weaponeering, electromagnetic spectrum operations, sensor administration, real-time battle administration and agile replanning in fight. Because of this, the B-21 will likely be crewed by one pilot and one weapon methods officer.” reads the memo from Normal Thomas Bussiere, then Commander of Air Power International Strike Command (AFGSC), as seen by Aviation Week.
Although but to be formally accepted as official coverage by the broader U.S. Air Power administration, the advice is a reversal of earlier plans for the two-seat B-21 Raider to be flown by two pilots, just like the B-2 Spirit. In 2020 plans to permit present WSOs from present B-52 Stratofortress and B-1B Lancer items to retrain as pilots forward of the B-21’s arrival had been introduced – it’s unclear whether or not this developed past the proposal stage and if any WSOs did bear such function conversion coaching.
B-21 information: A solo pilot and WSO?
— Brian Everstine (@beverstine) November 3, 2025
Each the Stratofortress and the Lancer are normally assigned a pair of WSOs together with a complement of two pilots for every sortie – for the B-52 a fifth seat is utilized by a digital warfare officer (EWO), and a sixth ejection seat can accommodate a further crew member. In such instances, the necessity for WSOs to be skilled in at the very least primary piloting duties is restricted as if one pilot turns into incapacitated the opposite is ready to proceed flying as regular. For the B-21, although, WSOs will nearly definitely be required to pilot the plane throughout at the very least some phases of flight.
On the B-2 it’s well-known that the plane could be flown solo for durations of time, permitting the 2 pilots to work in shifts throughout prolonged sorties and make use of a small ‘relaxation space’ behind the cockpit seats the place there may be simply sufficient room for a chemical rest room and a camp mattress.
The Air Power is certain to wish to hold this apply in place – with out it, lengthy vary missions with such a restricted crew measurement would turn into successfully unattainable. The longest steady sortie flown by a B-2 crew notched up over 44 hours of flight time, whereas the B-2 flights throughout Operation Midnight Hammer earlier this yr lasted round 37 hours.
Inching Nearer to Service
The B-21 Raider has been flying common take a look at sorties for nearly two years. In September 2025 the second airworthy take a look at airframe, designated T-2, took flight for the primary time. Two additional airframes are recognized to have been accomplished and are devoted to floor testing.
Listed here are pictures of the second B-21 Raider take a look at plane taking off from Palmdale, Calif., to hitch the Air Power’s flight take a look at marketing campaign at @EdwardsAFB, at present. #B21Raider #AirPower @usairforce I @DeptofWar pic.twitter.com/mVO0lJE0KH
— Workplace of the Secretary of the Air Power (@SecAFOfficial) September 11, 2025
Ellsworth Air Power Base, South Dakota, is anticipated to see its first B-21s delivered someday within the mid 2020s. Whiteman AFB, house of the B-2 Spirit, and Dyess AFB are the opposite two bases earmarked to host B-21 Raiders. Minot AFB and Barksdale AFB will seemingly proceed working the B-52 Stratofortress for a few years to return because the plane prepares for a significant improve programme that can see re-engined plane designated as B-52Js. This improve will assist to see the venerable plane serve by 2050, whereas the B-1 and B-2 are as a consequence of be withdrawn in favor of the B-21.
Smaller than the B-2, the B-21 is anticipated to make up for a lowered payload with a vastly elevated fleet measurement which, below present plans, will see extra B-21s produced than there are lively B-1s and B-2s mixed. Over 100 B-21s are anticipated to be supplemented throughout operations by collaborative fight plane (CCAs) which might add to the weapons capability, sensor vary and functionality, and survivability of an assembled strike bundle.
Notably, every B-21 will solely be capable of carry one of many well-known GBU-57 Huge Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker buster bombs per plane, in comparison with two per B-2. This might theoretically imply twice as many bombers could be required to stage a recreation of Operation Midnight Hammer, although the weapon’s substitute – labelled the Subsequent Technology Penetrator (NGP) – is deliberate to be considerably lighter than the MOP, and may subsequently be of a measurement that once more will permit the carriage of a number of bombs.
In distinction to many ongoing procurement processes in movement with armed forces throughout the globe, the B-21 Raider programme is continuing not solely at an excellent tempo however is steadily coming in at below its anticipated finances. The U.S. Air Power has not dominated out the event of recent variants of the bomber design targeted on different missions, even together with air to air fight. A B-21, working in tandem with manned and unmanned plane, might carry a large variety of air to air missiles into fight whereas remaining undetected by radar. With fashionable datalinks and superior missile designs, air to air weapons on board a B-21 may very well be cued and directed by sensor methods on fighter plane.
