NEW heights were reached for the US Air Force’s B-21 stealth bomber as it took its very first test run.

The nuclear-capable stealth bomber nicknamed Raider took off from Palmdale, California, on Friday at sunrise around 6:51 am PT offering the first glimpse of it as well.

The Air Force did not make the test run public but dozens of aviation enthusiasts and amateur photographers were able to catch it in action, Reuters reported.

They gathered around Plant 42 early in the morning in hopes of seeing it take off and were in luck.

The Air Force plans to roll out a new fleet of bombers by 2030 – they will cost around $750 million to create each.

The bombers will be able to carry both “conventional and nuclear munitions,” according to the Air Force. 

Along with providing “our nation with a strategic asset capable of penetrating enemy air defenses in highly contested environments and striking targets anywhere in the world.”

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Air Force Spokesperson Ann Stefanek explained to FOX Business on Friday that the testing is crucial when it comes to aircrafts that have been created for serious missions.

“Flight testing is a critical step in the test campaign managed by the Air Force Test Center and 412th Test Wing’s B-21 Combined Test Force,” he said.

“To provide survivable, long-range, penetrating strike capabilities to deter aggression and strategic attacks against the United States, allies, and partners.” 

The bomber was publicly unveiled at a ceremony in December of 2022.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said at the time that the new military aircraft are intended to help America take on more intensive threats, per Fox News.

“The B-21 Raider is the first strategic bomber in more than three decades,” Austin said during the ceremony.

“It is a testament to America’s enduring advantages in ingenuity and innovation. And, it’s proof of the Department’s long-term commitment to building advanced capabilities that will fortify America’s ability to deter aggression, today and into the future.”