The Air Force expects to have an operational capability before 2030. Yet even after the introduction date, it will take several years before the operational B-21 Raider fleet is complete.
The recent US air strikes against the Iranian nuclear program in June showed the importance of a robust strategic bomber fleet. During those strikes, codenamed “Operation Midnight Hammer,” the US Air Force was able to launch several B-2 Spirit stealth bombers from thousands of miles away and hit an adversary’s most treasured military program without suffering any casualties.
However, the B-2 is getting old. And most experts agree that the Air Force lacks the sufficient number of strategic bombers that it would need in order to fight a near-peer adversary like China.
The advent of the B-21 Raider stealth strategic bomber promises to solve both issues. With the production and testing process of the Raider fully underway, the Air Force eagerly awaits the first B-21s to enter service within the next few years.
The B-21 Raider’s Specifications
- Year Introduced: 2023 (first flight; not yet in operational service as of 2025)
- Number Built: 6 (test and initial production aircraft, as of 2025)
- Length: ~69 ft (21 m)
- Height: ~20 ft (6.1 m)
- Wingspan: ~140 ft (43 m)
- Weight:
- Empty: Classified (estimated ~60,000–70,000 lbs)
- Standard conditions: Classified
- Maximum takeoff weight: Estimated ~140,000 lbs (official figure not released)
- Engines: Two Pratt & Whitney turbofan engines (exact model classified; believed to be derivatives of the F135 or a new variant)
- Top Speed: High subsonic (exact figure classified)
- Range: ~6,000 mi (9,600 km) unrefueled (officially “intercontinental”)
- Service Ceiling: Classified (estimated ~50,000 ft)
- Loadout:
- Internal bays only (stealth optimized)
- Conventional or nuclear ordnance
- Precision-guided munitions (JDAM, JASSM, etc.)
- Nuclear gravity bombs (B61-12, B83, etc.)
- Potential future hypersonic/stand-off weapons
- Aircrew: 2 (pilot + mission commander; capable of uncrewed/remote operations in the future)
The B-21’s Second Prototype Will Be Airworthy Soon
The production and testing process of the B-21 Raider is moving along. The Air Force’s second B-21 Raider prototype is almost ready to fly as the stealth strategic bomber program moves forward.
Northrop Grumman and the Air Force have kept B-21 Raider production under close wraps. However, according to open source information, there appear to be at least six aircraft under production. One prototype is already flying, while the Air Force expects the second prototype to fly by the end of 2025.
Speaking in a virtual talk at the Air & Space Forces Association’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies in August, US Air Force Lt. Gen. Andrew Gebara, Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration, highlighted that he expects the second prototype to fly before the year is out. The Air Force does not seem in a rush to push the process and potentially have a sub-par product.
“So this is an event-based process, based on the test team, the contractor, [and] the program office. I believe it will happen by the end of the year, but we’re not going to ever give them an artificial date that they have to make if it doesn’t bring the test program along to where they need to be,” Gebara stated.
Flight testing with prototypes plays a key role in the production process. Northrop Grumman and the Air Force are able to gather important data about the aircraft’s performance and adjust their approach as necessary.
“We’re going to proceed as we can, efficiently, effectively, and with a sense of urgency, but we’re also going to be event-based,” the senior Air Force officer added.
How Many B-21 Raiders Is Enough?
The Air Force wants the B-21 Raider to also solve a numbers issue. Currently, the service’s bomber fleet numbers approximately 141 aircraft (B-1 Lancers, B-2 Spirits, and B-52 Stratofortresses). But only the 18 B-2 Spirits are stealth aircraft.
The Air Force is looking to add scores of B-21s to bolster both its overall fleet and the number of stealth aircraft available for deep penetration strikes against hard targets like China and Russia. In February, the Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman a second low-production contract to ramp up the production process of the stealth strategic bomber.
The Pentagon revealed the B-21 Raider in 2022. The aircraft made its maiden flight in 2023 and is flying two sorties every week. However, the aircraft has been in the design and production process for more than a decade. The Air Force expects to have an operational capability before 2030. Yet even after the introduction date, it will take several years before the operational B-21 Raider fleet is complete.
There is currently a debate with regard to the number of aircraft the Air Force needs to procure. Initially, the service planned for between 80 and 100 B-21 Raiders. However, the Air Force might end up buying as many as 145 sixth-generation strategic bombers. Moreover, Northrop Grumman is making the case for a 200-aircraft fleet.
About the Author: Stavros Atlamazoglou
Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
.jpg){kind=link}