A second B-21 Raider, the nation’s sixth-generation stealth bomber, joins flight testing at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., Sept. 11, 2025. The program is a cornerstone of the Department of the Air Force’s nuclear modernization strategy, designed to deliver both conventional and nuclear payloads. (Courtesy photo)
Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org
The Air Force released half a dozen new photos of the second B-21 bomber to fly Sept. 12, giving observers and aviation enthusiasts another glimpse of the secretive and hotly anticipated Raider.
The photos, showing the new tail taking off from Palmdale, Calif., and landing at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., are relatively low-resolution but show off the aircraft’s distinctive delta shape, unusual cockpit windows, tall, triangular doors on its upper surface—one on either side—which open to provide more air to the engines during ground operations, takeoff, and landing, and and some of its control surfaces.
One of the images even shows the second B-21 tail taxiing while what appears to be the first tail is partially visible in a hangar.
Of note, the images also show this B-21 relatively unadorned.
The first aircraft sported extra test equipment on its first flight, with a probe coming out the front and trailing a lengthy cable from the upper surface of the tail. It also featured the emblems of Air Force Materiel Command, Global Strike Command, and the 412th Test Wing behind the cockpit windows, and its tail number and nickname—“Cerebrus”—on the front landing gear door.
In contrast, the second B-21 appeared to have none of those things.
The absence of the testing equipment may mean this will be the radar cross section test aircraft, used to test the B-21’s stealth. It could also mean it is more operationally configured.
One image does appear to show an emblem painted on the inside of the front landing gear door—a Spartan-style helmet with wings.
The Air Force has revealed little about the B-21’s characteristics and capabilities but claims it is the world’s first sixth-generation aircraft.
Photos released by the service or snapped by aviation spotters offer smalldetails on the aircraft, including tidbits on its estimated size, number of weapons bays, control surfaces, exhausts, and more.
Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org
Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas) is introducing legislation to award Maj. Robert “Bob” Alfred Lodge a posthumous Medal of Honor for sacrificing his life May 10, 1972—during the critical bombing campaign in the Vietnam War—to protect fellow members of the 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron
Lawmakers want to know more about how the Air Force and Pentagon might employ autonomous cargo drones to resupply troops in remote locations in the future, according to reports attached to the House Armed Services Committee’s draft version of the fiscal 2027 National Defense Authorization bill.
The Air Force has begun inspecting T-38 Talons as it works to get its fleet of trainer jets back in the air. The first aircraft could be flying again within days.
Lawmakers drafting the 2027 defense policy bill worry the Air Force is not moving fast enough to arm its tanker fleet with new protection systems capable of defeating incoming missile threats.
More than a dozen Air Force personnel were decorated with some of the service's highest awards for their actions in combat operations in the Middle East last year while assigned to the 388th Fighter Wing.
Northrop Grumman hopes its efforts to make more B-21 Raiders faster will encourage the Air Force to expand the final fleet size of the advanced stealth bomber.
Venture capital-backed aircraft startup Hermeus announced May 28 its Quarterhorse unmanned aircraft will conduct a series of flight tests with the Defense Innovation Unit over the next few years.
The U.S. military struck Iran for the second time this week, carrying out attacks on an Iranian military facility on May 27, U.S. officials said. Iran responded by firing a ballistic missile at Kuwait, which hosts Ali Al Salem Air Base.
The Pentagon established an Aviation Mishap Task Force earlier this year "to address concerning trends” in safety and help produce an action plan, officials say.
✓
Thank You!
Check your inbox to verify your email address and finish setting up your AFA account.
★
Welcome Back!
An account with this email already exists. Please log in to continue.
Subscribe to the Air & Space Forces Daily Report
The latest news from Air & Space Forces Magazine, as well as news from other leading publications, delivered right to your inbox every morning!
We’re sorry, there has been an error. Please review your input or try again later.
