Nov 10, 2023 - Politics & Policy

Air Force's cutting-edge stealth bomber makes first test flight

Jacob Knutson

The B-21 Raider during an unveiling ceremony in Palmdale, California, in December 2022. Photo: Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

The Air Force's next-generation stealth bomber — the B-21 Raider — took its first test flight on Friday, roughly a year after it was first unveiled, AP reports.

Why it matters: The sunrise flight near Palmdale, California offered the first unscripted look at the new bomber, which has been developed under strict security.

Details: Designed by Northrop Grumman, it looks similar in shape to its predecessor, the B-2 Spirit, 20 of which remain in service after being developed in the late 1980s.

The B-21 incorporates the latest advancements in materials, propulsion and stealth technologies to allow it to deliver both conventional and nuclear weapons around the world.

The big picture: The military plans to acquire at least 100 of the planes at a price tag of about $692 million per vehicle.

It's expected to become fully operational in the mid-2020s, bolstering what is already the largest air force in the world.

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Air Force's cutting-edge stealth bomber makes first test flight

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