March 14, 2026, 6:02 pm
A Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider was recently seen taking part in an aerial refueling exercise with a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker over eastern California on March 10. The sortie, which lasted roughly five hours and thirty-three minutes, was documented by multiple photographers who captured clear images of the first B-21 prototype flying in formation behind the specially configured tanker operating from Edwards Air Force Base.
The photographs also reveal the presence of the F-16 chase aircraft commonly assigned to accompany developmental flight tests. Additionally, a modified business jet used as a flight-test support platform was involved in the activity. The aircraft was identified as N879AD, operating from Mojave Air and Space Port. This aircraft is particularly notable because it represents the only Douglas NC-9D currently operated by Raytheon as an airborne testing platform.
The tanker supporting the mission also drew attention. Carrying serial number 61-0320, it is classified as an NKC-135, a variant equipped with specialized instrumentation designed to assist in the testing of advanced aerospace systems. The aircraft’s flight path remained visible throughout the mission via Flightradar24. According to tracking data, the refueling portion of the flight was conducted at approximately FL230, or about 23,000 feet.
In this video, Defense Updates analyzes why aerial-refueling footage of B-21 Raider is worrying news for Russia and China ?
#defenseupdates #b21 #b21raider
Chapters:
0:00 TITLE
00:11 INTRODUCTION
01:54 SPONSORSHIP – NordVPN
02:28 PLAN
03:54 AERIAL REFUELING IS A MAJOR MILESTONE
06:59 CLEAR AND RAPID PROGRESS
08:37 ANALYSIS
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