Second B-21 Raider Test Aircraft Arrives at Edwards

Second B-21 Raider test aircraft touched down at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on September 11, 2025.

The US Air Force confirmed the arrival of a second B-21 Raider test aircraft at Edwards AFB on September 11, 2025. Developed by Northrop Grumman, the B-21 Raider is being positioned to replace legacy B-1 Lancer and B-2 Spirit bombers and to strengthen the US strategic bomber force.

The new airframe will expand the service’s flight test fleet and help accelerate evaluation and validation of the platform’s advanced systems. The Air Force emphasized the program’s role in future deterrence and global strike capabilities as testing ramps up at Edwards.

B-21 Raider test program ramps up at Edwards AFB

Edwards AFB has long been a center for flight testing, and hosting a second B-21 test aircraft gives engineers and pilots more flexibility to run parallel trials. That extra airframe shortens schedules for system checks, instrumentation verification, and integrated trials that confirm performance in real flight conditions.

Second B-21 Raider test aircraft — arrival: September 11, 2025, Edwards AFB, California
Developer: Northrop Grumman
Purpose: accelerate validation of advanced systems and support future deterrence and global strike capability

While the program remains in a classified and carefully managed test posture, each additional test asset reduces overall program risk by enabling more sorties, data collection, and cross-checks between test articles. The Air Force frames the Raider’s development as essential to the long-term bomber fleet modernization effort.

For aviation watchers and defense planners alike, the second B-21 test aircraft at Edwards is a clear sign the program is moving from initial flight trials toward more comprehensive system validation. The arrival marks another milestone in the years-long effort to bring the stealth bomber into operational service.