{"id":59174,"date":"2022-03-04T19:21:37","date_gmt":"2022-03-04T19:21:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2022\/03\/04\/first-b-21-bomber-enters-ground-testing-on-track-for-first-flight\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T00:25:57","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T00:25:57","slug":"first-b-21-bomber-enters-ground-testing-on-track-for-first-flight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/air\/2022\/03\/04\/first-b-21-bomber-enters-ground-testing-on-track-for-first-flight\/","title":{"rendered":"First B-21 bomber enters ground testing, \u2018on track for first flight\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ORLANDO, Fla. \u2014 The first <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/air\/2021\/12\/23\/meeting-the-b-21-raider-2022-to-bring-new-bombers-eagerly-awaited-rollout\/\" target=\"_blank\">B-21 Raider bomber<\/a> has entered the ground test phase, paving the way for its expected rollout this year and subsequent first flight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Northrop Grumman now has six of the stealthy, next-generation aircraft in various stages of production, Darlene Costello, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics, said in a Friday roundtable with reporters at the Air Force Association\u2019s Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Florida.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tom Jones, Northrop\u2019s Aeronautics Systems president, also confirmed in a statement that the first Raider is now undergoing ground tests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Costello said that with the start of testing on that B-21, \u201cwe are on track for first flight [and] we\u2019re holding to our schedule.\u201d She would not go into further detail on plans for the B-21.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In another roundtable with reporters at the conference, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said he\u2019s satisfied with the B-21\u2032s progress so far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAt least at this stage of the game, the B-21\u2032s moving forward really well,\u201d Kendall said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the ground test phase at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, where Northrop is building the B-21, testers will turn the B-21\u2032s power on, test its subsystems, test its structural integrity, and apply coatings and paint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The next step will involve getting the B-21 ready for flight. This includes carrying out engine runs as well as low-speed and then high-speed taxiing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After that, the actual first flight from Plant 42 to Edwards Air Force Base in California will take place. Formal flight testing will be held at Edwards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jones said Northrop\u2019s B-21 team performed extensive work in the laboratory to reduce risk and ensure no surprises pop up during the test program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWith the first [B-21] test aircraft in formal ground test, software and hardware are coming together,\u201d Jones said. \u201cThe phase we\u2019re in now will further prove out our design on our way to first flight.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Air Force has been tightlipped for months about plans for the B-21 as its anticipated rollout draws closer \u2014 including when that debut might take place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In September, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown said it is likely the service will \u201cdo something special,\u201d such as a ceremony for the aircraft\u2019s unveiling or for the first flight that will follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Air Force last unveiled a new bomber in November 1988, also at Palmdale, when the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit was first shown publicly. That bomber took its first public flight months later, in July 1989.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Northrop Grumman now has six of the stealthy, next-generation aircraft in various stages of 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By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>First B-21 bomber enters ground testing, \u2018on track for first flight\u2019 - Defense News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Northrop Grumman now has six of the stealthy, next-generation aircraft in various stages of production.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"First B-21 bomber enters ground testing, \u2018on track for first flight\u2019\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Northrop Grumman now has six of the stealthy, next-generation aircraft in various stages of production.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" 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