WEBVTT

00:00.480 --> 00:01.313
- Hey there everyone.

00:01.313 --> 00:03.240
I'm senior Airman Jasmine Vanderhaden

00:03.240 --> 00:06.020
with your look around the Air Force.

00:06.020 --> 00:07.900
Air Force senior leaders
say they're pleased

00:07.900 --> 00:09.620
with the progression of the Air Force's

00:09.620 --> 00:11.130
newest bomber aircraft,

00:11.130 --> 00:12.750
the B-21 Raider.

00:12.750 --> 00:14.030
A critical designer view of the

00:14.030 --> 00:16.680
B-21 weapon system was
held in late November

00:16.680 --> 00:19.320
to prove the bomber has a reliable design,

00:19.320 --> 00:22.430
and is ready to be
manufactured and flight tested.

00:22.430 --> 00:24.407
Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson said,

00:24.407 --> 00:26.940
"The B-21 Raider program
is on the right track

00:26.940 --> 00:29.650
to make continued progress
over the next few years,

00:29.650 --> 00:31.790
as it now transitions
from the design phase

00:31.790 --> 00:34.000
into a robust manufacturing
phase that will

00:34.000 --> 00:37.630
ultimately produce our
first B-21 test aircraft."

00:37.630 --> 00:40.070
The B-21 Raider will
be a long range bomber,

00:40.070 --> 00:42.300
capable of penetrating and operating

00:42.300 --> 00:44.350
in highly contested environments.

00:44.350 --> 00:45.920
It's expected to start delivering

00:45.920 --> 00:48.643
initial capability in the mid 2020's.

00:49.680 --> 00:52.070
At 35 pilots out of
Edwards Air Force Base,

00:52.070 --> 00:54.490
California are flying
more than 30 missions

00:54.490 --> 00:57.630
for the F-35 Lightening 2
initial operational test

00:57.630 --> 00:59.350
and evaluation.

00:59.350 --> 01:00.350
During the exercise,

01:00.350 --> 01:01.820
ten F-35 pilots,

01:01.820 --> 01:04.990
eleven engineers and
more than 140 maintainers

01:04.990 --> 01:06.610
will work to identify technical

01:06.610 --> 01:09.220
and operational areas for improvement.

01:09.220 --> 01:10.660
If the airmen discover issues,

01:10.660 --> 01:11.690
they will work with the director

01:11.690 --> 01:14.010
of operational tests and evaluation,

01:14.010 --> 01:16.840
Lockheed Martin, and the
F-35 joint program office

01:16.840 --> 01:18.190
to address it.

01:18.190 --> 01:19.560
Once the testing is complete,

01:19.560 --> 01:21.660
it will help inform full rate production

01:21.660 --> 01:24.270
for the DoD in the future.

01:24.270 --> 01:26.490
The end of this month marks
the mandatory deadline

01:26.490 --> 01:30.230
to switch to the new blended
retirement system or BRS.

01:30.230 --> 01:33.230
Airmen will need to decide
whether to opt into BRS

01:33.230 --> 01:36.080
or stay with the current
legacy retirement system

01:36.080 --> 01:38.420
no later than December 31st.

01:38.420 --> 01:41.110
For more BRS information and resources,

01:41.110 --> 01:46.030
visit
militarypaid.defense.gov/blendedretirement

01:46.030 --> 01:49.250
And that's your look around the Air Force.

01:49.250 --> 01:50.833
[Suspenseful Music]