The U.S. Air Force's B-21 Raider Will Be Taking Its First Flight Sooner Than Expected

Popular Mechanics: Next Stop for the Air Force’s New Bomber: First Flight

The B-21 Raider will replace the B-1B Lancer and B-2 Spirit as America’s leading heavy bomber.

The Raider is a little closer to real.

The U.S. Air Force’s next-generation stealth bomber is progressing as planned, the service says. and the next step is to actually fly the plane. That’s the word from an Air Force's man in charge of acquisitions, Lt. Gen. Arthur Bunch. He told Congress the stealth bomber, which would replace older stealthy bombers, is expected to be operational in the mid-2020s, and could fly as early as 2021.

"Our next major milestone is first flight," Bunch told the Senate Armed Services Committee, as reported by Military.com. (The Raider, named after “Doolittle’s Raiders” that struck Japan in 1942, passed its Critical Design Review in December.)

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More News On The B-21

Next Milestone for Future B-21 Bomber? First Flight -- Military.com
The New B-21 Stealth Bomber: Flying Much Sooner Than Expected? -- National Interest
US’ B-21 Stealth Bomber on Track, Headed for First Flight - Air Force -- Sputnik