A second B-21 Raider, the nation’s sixth-generation stealth bomber, joins flight testing at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., Sept. 11, 2025. (USAF via SWNS)
By Dean Murray
The United States has unveiled its second more than $770 million stealth nuclear bomber.
The new B-21 Raider was seen arriving at Edwards Air Force Base in California on Thursday (September 11), as America moves forward with plans to produce 100 of the deadly aircraft.
The warplane has an estimated range of 12,000 km, enabling it to execute nuclear weapon strikes anywhere in the world.
The US Air Force (USAF) said: "The addition of the second test aircraft expands mission systems and weapons integration testing, advancing the programme towards operational readiness."
Both pre-production B-21s, built by Northrop Grumman, are assigned to the 420th Flight Test Squadron.
A second B-21 Raider test aircraft takes off, Sept. 11, from Palmdale, Calif., to join the Air Force’s flight test campaign at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. (USAF via SWNS)
They will undergo mission system and weapon integration tests, with the aim of reaching operational readiness later this decade.
“With the arrival of the second B-21 Raider, our flight test campaign gains substantial momentum,” said Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink. “We can now expedite critical evaluations of mission systems and weapons capabilities, directly supporting the strategic deterrence and combat effectiveness envisioned for this aircraft.”
In an earlier statement, the USAF said: "The aircraft is expected to enter service in the mid-2020s with a production goal of at least 100 aircraft."
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