PALMDALE , Calif. — The United States’ newest nuclear stealth bomber has made its public debut after years of secret development.
The new bomber is part of the Pentagon’s answer to rising concerns over a future conflict with China.
The B-21 Raider is the first new American bomber aircraft built in more than 30 years.
The Pentagon provided the public its first glimpse of the Raider at an invitation-only event in Palmdale, California, on Friday.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin calls it “the embodiment of America’s determination to defend the republic that we all love.” Falls Church, Virginia-based Northrop Grumman is building the Raider, which will take its first flight next year.
Ellsworth Air Force Base’s 28th Bomb Wing will house both the training squadron and the first operational squadron.
The unveiling of the new B-21 bomber brings with it a variety of new developments for the Rapid City area.
South Dakota Senator Mike Rounds, Representative Dusty Johnson and Rapid City Mayor Steve Allender were among the dignitaries on hand Friday for the unveiling.
Allender says it’s “an early Christmas gift for the people of the Black Hills area.”
Johnson says “the unveiling of the B-21 was a proud moment for our country, our defense community, and South Dakota. It won’t be long until Ellsworth Air Force Base is the ‘Home of the Raider’ – it took a lot of hard work from the delegation to get to this point, and I’m confident it will be an asset to the West River community and our military. I’m grateful I got to witness this moment.”
Senator Mike Rounds says “as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I’ve worked actively to secure full funding for the B-21 program being developed by Northrup Grumman for the Air Force. I can tell you that this is one of the most advanced weapon systems to ever be developed. The B-21 will help deter our adversaries, especially China, thanks to its long-range, speed, stealth and payload. This weapon system will play a crucial role in the defense of our nation and have a huge economic impact on the Rapid City area for the next 50 years.”
