A B-21 Raider soars above clouds during flight testing. Photo courtesy Northrop Grumman
New photos of the B-21 Raider show the sophisticated stealth bomber in flight tests over California.
Why it matters: The images, shared by the U.S. Air Force and manufacturer Northrop Grumman, provide a peek at a highly secretive aircraft considered critical to future long-haul missions and nuclear weapons use.
Zoom in: The B-21's elliptical profile, trapezoidal windows, sleek air intakes and light grey paint job can be seen in the images.
Those features and more contribute to the bomber's ability to stay hidden on radar and to the naked eye.
By the numbers: At least 100 B-21s are expected to be built, to replace the B-1 Lancer and B-2 Spirit aircraft.
