Northrop Grumman said Monday that engine tests have begun on the B-21 Raider, a strategic bomber aircraft the company is developing with the U.S. Air Force.
The service branch and the company had announced progress on the B-21 program at a conference hosted by the Air and Space Forces Association from Sept. 11 to 13 in Maryland.
Northrop Grumman built the first B-21 Raider test unit as production representative. The defense contractor also incorporated sustainment strategies during the design phase, which is expected to bring about efficiency in the long run.
“The B-21 program is a prime example of how industry can be a capable partner in providing systems that meet critical needs, efficiently,” said Tom Jones, president for Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems.
“The first test aircraft was built by our technicians using factory production processes; we’re doing that learning and refining in parallel, which will enable us to get to stable and steady production more quickly,” he added.