Overview
- An operational test pilot flew alongside a developmental test pilot in the B-21 at Edwards Air Force Base on Thursday, June 11, 2026, marking the first time operational and developmental crews shared a cockpit so early in a U.S. program.
- The Raider Combined Test Force has moved beyond basic flight checks into mission-systems work that includes aerial refueling trials and weapons-integration testing to assess combat effectiveness and survivability.
- Air Force officials say combining developmental testing (DT) and operational testing (OT) now will expose crew-interface, weapons-employment, or mission-system problems earlier so they can be fixed before wider fielding.
- The push to find issues early ties to a Feb. 23, 2026 agreement to apply $4.5 billion to raise annual B-21 production capacity by roughly 25 percent, a step that would make late-stage fixes more costly once the line speeds up.
- The service plans to buy a minimum of 100 Raiders, aims for initial operational fielding around 2027 at Ellsworth Air Force Base, and frames the B-21 as a core long-range strike capability for contested regions.