Aviation photographer Jarod Hamilton captured images of a B-21 Raider flight test aircraft positioned behind a KC-135 Stratotanker in a formation consistent with aerial refueling preparations over the Mojave Desert near Edwards Air Force Base, California, on March 10, 2026. The 5-hour-33-minute mission involved the NKC-135 serial number 61-0320 from Edwards’ 370th Flight Test Squadron, accompanied by an F-16 chase aircraft and a Douglas NC-9D testbed N879AD from Mojave.
The U.S. Air Force confirmed the event as a “close-proximity flight” but declined to verify fuel transfer, citing security measures. “We can confirm that a B-21 Raider completed a test event involving a close-proximity flight with a KC-135 Stratotanker,” an Air Force spokesperson stated. “This flight is part of the ongoing, rigorous test campaign to validate the B-21’s capabilities and operational readiness.” Photos show the tanker’s boom aligned with the B-21’s dorsal fuselage refueling receptacle, similar to the B-2 Spirit’s configuration, though ground observations cannot confirm contact.
This sortie advances integration for the Northrop Grumman-built stealth bomber’s long-range penetrating strike role, enabling extended endurance without forward basing. The KC-135 transfers fuel via flying boom at rates over 6,500 pounds per minute. Flight testing at Edwards follows the first flight in November 2023, with a second aircraft arriving in September 2025 for mission systems evaluation. Initial operational B-21s remain scheduled for Ellsworth Air Force Base in 2027.