{"id":60343,"date":"2020-08-13T18:43:56","date_gmt":"2020-08-13T18:43:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2020\/08\/13\/b-21-still-on-track-despite-complications-from-pandemic\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T00:33:46","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T00:33:46","slug":"b-21-still-on-track-despite-complications-from-pandemic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/air\/2020\/08\/13\/b-21-still-on-track-despite-complications-from-pandemic\/","title":{"rendered":"B-21 bomber program survives pandemic disruptions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">WASHINGTON \u2014 Despite impacts from the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. Air Force\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/air\/2020\/07\/02\/house-slides-money-into-b-21-bomber-procurement-account\/\" target=_blank>B-21 Raider program<\/a> remains on track as Northrop Grumman <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/air\/2019\/08\/21\/the-b-21-raider-looms-large-over-the-celebration-of-b-2s-first-flight\/\" target=_blank>continues production of the first B-21 bomber<\/a>, the head of the service\u2019s Rapid Capabilities Office said Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speaking at a Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies event, RCO Director Randall Walden acknowledged that some B-21 suppliers had been adversely affected by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. For instance, Spirit AeroSystems \u2014 which builds large composite aerostructures for the bomber \u2014 has run into challenges not only on its defense side, but also for its commercial division due to the halt in Boeing 737 Max production, Walden said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Spirit received $80 million in Defense Production Act funds meant to help stimulate struggling businesses, and Walden noted that the company also funneled employees who normally work on the 737 Max line into augmenting B-21 production efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe folks that are not manufacturing 737s and those components came over to our production line and really kind of beefed up \u2014 where people had some COVID issues \u2014 they beefed up that portion of our production,\u201d he said. \u201cRight now, the components that we\u2019re building are really for the test fleet, but the good news: All of what we\u2019re doing today is really insightful for what we\u2019re doing for production in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/air\/2018\/12\/07\/blink-and-youll-miss-it-the-b-21-bomber-accomplishes-another-big-review\/\" target=_blank>completing a critical design review in 2018<\/a>, B-21 prime contractor Northrop Grumman is currently building the first B-21 test aircraft in Palmdale, California. The Air Force plans to buy at least 100 Raiders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Aug. 3, Walden traveled with Defense Secretary Mark Esper to Northrop\u2019s B-21 design and development office in Melbourne, Florida, to receive a program update.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think overall his takeaway was he\u2019s happy with the progress we\u2019re making,\u201d Walden said. \u201cThe good news is all of the tough critical designs, all of the hard engineering is kind of behind us, and now it\u2019s a matter of actually producing the airplane and actually rolling it out and getting on with the developmental flight test activities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Walden said his office has flight tested some B-21 mission systems and avionics on a surrogate aircraft to work though software bugs and design problems before installation on the actual B-21 test aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI know we\u2019re not going to be immune from design flaws. We\u2019re going to have to work through those, and we\u2019re doing some of that today. From my perspective, I want to find out what those design deficiencies were as fast as I can, get on with a solution, get that into the program in the development phase, and get on with production.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In July 2019, Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Stephen Wilson said the Raider could take to the skies in about \u201c863 days,\u201d which would pinpoin<a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/air\/2019\/07\/25\/coming-in-2021-the-b-21-raiders-first-flight\/\" target=_blank>t an inaugural flight in December 2021<\/a>. Walden has since said that would be the earliest possible date for first flight.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;All of the hard engineering is kind of behind us,&#8221; the head of the Rapid Capabilities Office said of the 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