What you need to know: Aviation photographer Jarod Hamilton recently captured rare footage of the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider during a test flight in California, which he shared on X.

– The stealth bomber, which made its maiden flight last year, has since entered low-rate initial production (LRIP) as it undergoes flight tests, preparing to replace the aging B-1B Lancer bombers and B- 2 Spirit. The Pentagon awarded Northrop Grumman a second LRIP contract, with at least 100 B-21 Raiders scheduled for production.

– Aviation enthusiasts can anticipate more sightings as this future cornerstone of US air power progresses toward operational readiness by the end of the decade.

Rare sight: Photographer captures B-21 Raider test flight in California

Last week, aviation noted photographer Jarod Hamilton spotted a Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider during a test flight in California and shared his pictures on Xthe social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

In a posthe wrote: “No goblins for Halloween but I saw a ghost! #B21 #B21Raider”.

Just one year ago, on November 10, 2023, the future backbone of the US bomber fleet took its maiden flight in Palmdale, California. The U.S. Air Force had previously said it would not announce in advance when exactly the first flight would take place, but the Raider has been undergoing taxi tests — and there was a chance its maiden flight might have happened unexpectedly. Although the service didn’t publicize the event either, about three dozen aviation enthusiasts and others still gathered around Plant 42 and witnessed the flying wing-style bomber take off.

Lucky B-21 bomber strike

Flight tests continue on the stealth aircraft, but the Air Force has yet to announce when and where aviation enthusiasts might get a chance to see the bomber with the flying wing overhead. Hamilton happened to be in the right place at the right time.

“I took a four-mile walk to scout out a new location to shoot low-level Sidewinder fighters. It was a pretty slow day for aircraft passing by, so I was concentrating on photographing some aerial refueling going on overhead.” Hamilton told TheAviationist. “During a certain period of downtime, I noticed two leaks in the distance and immediately had the feeling that it was the B-21 with its tracking plane. It made a big revolution, then the contras disappeared, and so did the Raider. I can’t say. sure how far it was, but it was definitely in the lower part of the 2508 complex.”

Shooting with the Canon R5 with a 100-500 lens, he was able to get such clear shots of the aircraft.

More opportunities to come

There will likely be plenty of opportunities for Hamilton and other aviation enthusiasts to see the B-21 Raider in the sky. In addition to the ongoing test flights, the bomber entered Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP), meaning production aircraft had begun. To facilitate LRIP and keep costs under control, the six original prototypes being used in test flights were built on the same production lines that will provide the final aircraft.

Last month, it was reported that the Pentagon would likely award Northrop Grumman a contract for the second LRIP.

The future backbone of the US Air Force bomber fleet is now on track to enter service before the end of the decade and will replace the aging Rockwell B-1B Lancer and Northrop B-2 Spirit. At least 100 planes will be producedor five times the number of B-2 Spirits – although some Air Force officials have suggested the number should be doubled.

Experience and expertise of the author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a writer from Michigan. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers and websites with more than 3,200 articles published over a twenty-year career in journalism. He writes regularly on military hardware, firearms history, cyber security, politics and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: (email protected).

Image credit: Creative Commons and/or Shutterstock.