Key Points and Summary – The U.S. Air Force expects a second B-21 Raider stealth bomber to make its first flight before the end of the year, a major milestone for the program.
-The announcement comes as the next-generation bomber, designed to penetrate the world’s most advanced air defenses, continues its successful flight testing.
-With a recent injection of $4.5 billion to accelerate production, the Air Force is scaling up the program.
-This progress fuels the ongoing debate about the fleet’s final size, with top military officials now arguing that the U.S. needs at least 145 of the new bombers.
The Second U.S. Air Force B-21 Raider Is Coming
During a virtual conversation hosted by the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, a U.S. Air Force official confirmed that a second pre-production B-21 Raider is expected to fly before the end of the year.
Air Force Lt. Gen Andrew Gebara, the Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration, discussed progress made on America’s next-generation stealth bomber as well as recent flight tests conducted as part of the AGM-181A Long-Range Standoff (LRSO) cruise missile program. The missiles currently undergoing testing are designed to be deployed with the B-21, with four flight tests having already taken place this year.
“So this is an event-based process, based on the test team, the contractor, [and] the program office,” Gebara said.
Speaking about the first flight of the second Raider to be delivered by Northrop Grumman, Gebara added that he believes it will “happen by the end of the year” but that he will not provide an “artificial date.”
“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,” he said.
The first pre-production model of the B-21 flew in November 2024 – and while production of additional pre-production models continued, its manufacturer Northrop Grumman has said that the first unit continues to be flown regularly.
During the recent virtual event, Gebara also addressed news that the Air Force is working with the new platform’s manufacturers to potentially speed up production, following an additional $4.5 billion allocated to the project in a reconciliation bill signed on July 4.
“We’ve done the initial R&D work, we’ve started the flight test…all these things are great indicators of success and a program that’s on time, on budget and producing, but eventually you have to get to the point where we scale this thing and so that’s very important,” Gebara said.
As many as 100 B-21 Raiders are expected to be purchased by the U.S. Air Force by the end of the next decade, though analysts and military officials have argued that a minimum of 145 new bombers should be purchased.
The B-21 Raider was unveiled to the public at a ceremony December 2, 2022 in
Palmdale, Calif. Designed to operate in tomorrow’s high-end threat environment, the B-21 will play a critical role in ensuring America’s enduring airpower capability. (U.S. Air Force photo)
In March, 2025, top Air Force and U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM) officials told the annual Defense Programs Conference that the U.S. needs at least 145 B-21s, along with a dramatically increased production rate.
Time for 200 B-21 Raider Bombers?
Writing for this outlet this week, Harry Kazianis argued that the U.S. needs 200 B-21 stealth bombers, or more, citing a strategic landscape fundamentally changed by the rise of near-peer competitors in China and Russia.
About the Author:
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York who writes frequently for National Security Journal. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society. His latest book is The Truth Teller: RFK Jr. and the Case for a Post-Partisan Presidency.
More Military
Montana-Class: The 70,000-ton Battleship the Navy Almost Built
The Navy’s New F/A-XX Stealth Fighter Is Back
