Message posted by Smythers on September 02, 2020 at 4:13:25 PST:

On the B-21, Weatherington said the first bomber, which is now under construction, will fly “no earlier than ’22,” which is slightly beyond a late 2021 estimate offered by Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Stephen W. “Seve” Wilson last year. Otherwise, though, he said the new secret bomber is “on track, on schedule,” and coming in at “a little less” than the predicted unit cost.

He confirmed that the Air Force is considering accelerating the program—not its development, but the rate at which the service buys the airplane. That would allow the Air Force to more quickly eliminate the B-2 and B-1 bombers, reducing the logistics and training footprint of the bomber force and helping it become more efficient.

“If we get a steeper ramp, then you’ll see an earlier IOC,” or initial operational capability date, he said.

In Reply to: B-21 Raider first flight slipped to 2022 posted by Smythers on September 01, 2020 at 5:45:06 PST:

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