Of B-21 Raiderbomber was first seen being refueled in mid-air behind a KC-135R tanker during ongoing US Air Force testing.
According to the website The War Zone the activity was photographed by Ian Recchioowner of the Instagram profile Look Under Rocks. The footage Ian shared also shows an aircraft that resembles a business jet flying underneath the two planes.
Among other things, the photos give us a good comparison of the size of the B-21 compared to the KC-135Ras previously released footage showed significant distortions.
As speculated by TWZ, the B-21 should have a wingspan of about 45 meters, as it is wider than the KC-135Rwhich has a wingspan of 39 meters. Yet it is smaller than the B-2whose wingspan is 52 meters.
It is worth noting that it is possible that the B-21 Raider aerial refueling by tanker aircraft had previously taken place, but this was the first time such a test activity was captured on camera.
In any case, the images show that the Raider continues to advance, and aerial refueling will only increase its flight time for longer test flights, which is essential for its intended use in long-range missions.
Photo: Instagram @lookunderocks. This content was created using AI and reviewed by editors.
