US Air Force names second and third B-21 Raider bases

The U.S. Air Force’s newest bomber is officially getting two additional homes.

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall approved basing locations for the B-21 Raider at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, and Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, the service announced Friday.

The Air Force previously selected Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, as the B-21 Raider’s first base.

B-21 Raider bomber conducts test flights at Edwards Air Force Base

The aircraft, which is the first bomber the Air Force has introduced since the Cold War, is intended to become the “backbone of the Air Force’s flexible global strike capability,” according to the Air Force. Developed by Northrop Grumman, the stealth bomber will come equipped with nuclear capabilities, as well as regular munitions, and be able to assist with manned and unmanned operations.

The B-21 Raider made its first test flight Nov. 10, 2023, out of Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California.

“We continue to achieve B-21 production milestones; through digital engineering and open architecture design, we are getting an agile strategic deterrent that delivers a decisive response as required,” said Gen. Thomas Bussiere , Air Force Global Strike Command commander, in a release.

The Air Force released the first video of the B-21 in flight Wednesday.

Airmen and defense industry representatives discussed the B-21 program’s progress this week at the Air and Space Force Association’s Air, Space and Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Maryland.

Thomas Jones, sector president of Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems, said the program was conducting two flight test flights “in a given week” in preparation for the B-21 Raider’s life as a daily flyer.

The Air Force anticipates purchasing at least 100 B-21s, which will replace the B-1 Lancer and B-2 Spirit bombers.