In late November, The U.S. Air Force evaluated the design of the B-21 bomber aircraft’s weapon system to verify production readiness. The assessment reflected positive progress from the aircraft’s engineering and manufacturing development phase that lasted almost three years, USAF said Monday.
“The B-21 Raider program is on the right track to make continued progress over the next few years as it now transitions from the design phase into a robust manufacturing phase that will ultimately produce our first B-21 test aircraft,” said Heather Wilson, secretary of the Air Force.
The critical review is intended to further develop the bomber’s design and define the risks present in the Department of Defense‘s large acquisition programs, said Randall Walden, program executive officer at the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office that leads the B-21 program. The service branch plans to grant initial capability for the aircraft in the mid-2020s.
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