- Northrop Grumman and the US Air Force have announced that the B-21 Raider strategic heavy nuclear strike bomber will make its public debut at an invitation-only event in the first week of December at Northrop’s Palmdale, California facility.
- When it enters service around 2027, it will augment the third leg of the US nuclear deterrent force and eventually replace the entire strategic bomber fleet as the older aircraft are retired from service in the middle of the century.
- The maiden flight of the B-21 is scheduled for 2023, though the official date will be based on the outcome of planned ground tests that include powering up the aircraft, flight subsystems tests, applying the special radar-absorbing coatings and paint, and low- and high-speed taxi tests.
B-21 Raider nuclear bomber to be unveiled in December
