US Air Force speeds up B‑21 Raider testing to hasten deployment

The United States Air Force has merged developmental and operational testing for the B‑21 Raider stealth bomber, placing an operational test pilot alongside a development pilot to accelerate the aircraft’s path to combat readiness. A second B‑21 arrived at Edwards Air Force Base, allowing the Raider Combined Test Force to move beyond basic flight assessments to weapons‑system integration.

General Dale White highlighted the B‑21, the upcoming Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile, and the future F‑47 fighter as the three programs the nation would rely on in its “darkest hour,” urging a faster, more agile acquisition approach. The B‑21 is slated to replace the B‑1 and B‑2 bombers and become a core element of the nuclear triad, with plans for at least 100 units. The Sentinel ICBM will replace the Minuteman III, and the F‑47 is being developed under the Next Generation Air Dominance program.

These steps reflect a cultural shift within the Air Force toward urgent, integrated testing and procurement to deliver “asymmetric lethality” to warfighters more quickly.