The Department of the Air Force alongside Northrop Grumman broke ground on the new final assembly line at Air Force Plant 42, Sep. 29, marking a significant step toward expanding production capacity for the B-21 Raider and delivering combat capability to the Joint Force faster.
The groundbreaking kicks off over one million new square feet of facilities that will support the B-21 Raider production-capacity expansion announced earlier this year. The effort is part of the agreement between the DAF and Northrop Grumman that increases annual B-21 production capacity by 25% while maintaining focus on cost, schedule and performance.
"This groundbreaking represents more than construction; it represents a sustained commitment to delivering the capability our nation needs at the speed the security environment demands," said Gen. Dale White, director, Critical Major Weapon Systems and Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager to the Deputy Secretary of War. "The B-21 Raider is foundational to the Air Force's future long-range strike capability, and this investment strengthens the industrial capacity required to field that capability faster."
The DAF is applying $4.5 billion in funding previously authorized and appropriated under fiscal year 2025 reconciliation legislation to accelerate production of the approved B-21 acquisition profile of 100 aircraft, building on the program's demonstrated performance to compress delivery timelines for the next-generation stealth bomber fleet.
"The B-21 team has established the foundation to accelerate production responsibly," said Col. Nicholas Jordan, B-21 Systems program director, Rapid Capabilities Office. "This investment in Palmdale will provide the infrastructure, workforce and manufacturing capacity needed to deliver the Raider to the Air Force at an increased rate."
The B-21 Raider is a long-range, penetrating strike aircraft designed to operate in highly contested environments. It integrates advanced stealth, resilient networking and modern, data-driven command-and-control architecture to support the Joint Force's ability to deter and, if necessary, defeat emerging threats.
Currently in flight test, the B-21 program remains on track to have aircraft on the ramp at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, in 2027. The expansion at Plant 42 will support the transition from demonstrated program performance to increased production capacity and more rapid fielding of operational capability.
