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The first flight of the promising strategic bomber B-21 is scheduled for 2023. This is stated in the official message of Northrop Grumman. A public presentation of the aircraft will be held at the end of 2022.
According to Northrop Grumman, the first B-21 aircraft completed a series of ground tests at the Air Force Plant 42 plant in Palmdale, California, in early May 2022. The most important, as noted in the company, was the load test. The tuning of the aircraft's instruments and its resistance to various loads were also checked. The test was successful, which means that the first B-21 aircraft is ready for flight tests.
The bomber will fly for the first time in 2023, from the company's factory to the US Air Force base "Edwards" in California, where the first flight tests will already take place. Interestingly, initially the US Air Force expected to conduct the first flight of the B-21 in December 2021. This was stated by the former Deputy Chief of Staff, General Stephen Wilson.
But by the beginning of 2021, the ambitious plans of the US Air Force had changed somewhat. The flight was postponed to mid-2022, but at the end of 2021, both the Air Force command and representatives of Northrop were already more cautious in their forecasts.
Also, in April 2022, the US Air Force signed a $ 108 million contract with Northrop for the purchase of "items with a long delivery period." The deadlines for fulfilling obligations under this contract may also be delayed if the company does not provide operational production and delivery of components.
Earlier it was reported that the B-21 strategic bomber will carry hypersonic weapons in its internal compartments. Today it is being tested on such a carrier as the B-52.