B-21 Raider stealth bomber may fly this year after development in Melbourne by Northrop

Rick Neale, Florida Today
·2 min read
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Designed and developed in Melbourne, the U.S. Air Force's B-21 Raider stealth bomber should make its historic inaugural test flight by year's end in California, Northrop Grumman officials say.

The long-range B-21 Raider — which will carry nuclear and conventional weapons — was engineered at Northrop Grumman's Manned Aircraft Design Center of Excellence, a sprawling campus with thousands of employees off NASA Boulevard on the south side of Melbourne Orlando International Airport.

The stealth bomber program remains shrouded in secrecy.

But in mid-September, Northrop Grumman announced the plane had commenced engine runs — "a significant milestone in the aircraft’s ground test program" — at the aerospace giant's facility in Palmdale, California.

“We are progressing through ground testing. And we're on track to enter flight testing this year, in line with the program baseline schedule," Dave Keffer, Northrop Grumman CFO and corporate vice president, said Thursday during the company’s third-quarter earnings conference call.

July 2021 story: Northrop Grumman's Melbourne growth boom spurred by B-21 Raider bomber, military tech

B-21 Raider finally revealed in California

The B-21 Raider stealth bomber is unveiled by Northrop Grumman in December in Palmdale, California. America's newest nuclear stealth bomber made its debut after years of secret development and as part of the Pentagon's answer to rising concerns over a future conflict with China. The B-21 Raider is the first new American bomber aircraft in more than 30 years. Almost every aspect of the program is classified.

Northrop Grumman and the Air Force unveiled the classified stealth nuclear bomber to the world during a ceremony last December at the defense contractor's Palmdale factory.

“The B-21 Raider is a testament to America’s enduring advantages in ingenuity and innovation," Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told the crowd.

"And it’s proof of the department’s long-term commitment to building advanced capabilities that will fortify America’s ability to deter aggression, today and into the future,” Austin said.

Once labeled the confidential "Project Magellan" economic development initiative in 2014 at the Melbourne airport, the Air Force bomber contract has bolstered the Space Coast economy. When the aircraft was unveiled in December, Space Florida issued a statement touting the fact that it was "imagined and designed right here in Florida."

Conflicts in Ukraine, Israel cited

In July 2021, U.S. Air Force officials released this artist's rendering depicting a B-21 Raider stealth bomber flying over Edwards Air Force Base in California.
In July 2021, U.S. Air Force officials released this artist's rendering depicting a B-21 Raider stealth bomber flying over Edwards Air Force Base in California.

A photo of a B-21 Raider taxiing outdoors during ground testing circulated on social media this week, generating international headlines.

During Thursday's earnings call, Kathy Warden, Northrop Grumman CEO, president and chair, emphasized her company's role in national defense.

“We are all witnessing significant geopolitical tensions across the globe, including the ongoing war in Ukraine and the horrific attacks in Israel," Warden said.

"We truly hope that peace and safety can be established for the people in these regions. And we will continue in our steadfast support for the U.S. and our allies in their pursuit of global security and stability," she said.

Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY (for more of his stories, click here). Contact Neale at 321-242-3638 or rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Northrop Grumman: B-21 Raider will make first flight by year's end