Northrop Grumman accelerates B-21 Raider strategic bomber production as testing advances and investment tops $5 billion

“The strong performance of the B-21 program has our Northrop Grumman and Air Force team ready to accelerate production of this game-changing capability for our nation,” said Kathy Warden, chair, chief executive officer and president of Northrop Grumman. “Northrop Grumman has invested more than $5 billion in digital engineering and manufacturing infrastructure, and we are ready to produce B-21 faster.”

The B-21 is currently in production, with final assembly underway at Northrop Grumman’s facility in Palmdale, California, along with other manufacturing operations across the United States. The first aircraft remains on track to arrive at Ellsworth Air Force Base in 2027.

“Getting the B-21 Raider into the hands of our Air Force operators and maintainers is the mission of thousands of dedicated Northrop Grumman team members,” said Tom Jones, corporate vice president and president of Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems. “We have delivered continued outstanding performance on B-21 in ground and flight test, in partnership with the Air Force. Northrop Grumman has designed and built the world’s most advanced stealth bomber, securing American air power far into the future.”

Multiple B-21 aircraft are undergoing ground and flight tests, where performance continues to exceed digital model expectations. The company said its digital environment supports flight test planning and real-time analysis, enabling increased test cadence and efficiency as the fleet expanded in 2025.

Maintainers within the Combined Test Force are able to service the aircraft for another test flight the following day, an indicator of how the bomber is expected to perform in future operations. Northrop Grumman said the program combines investment, technology and disciplined execution to deliver capability designed to ensure U.S. success.

The B-21 Raider is described as a sixth-generation stealth bomber incorporating next-generation low-observable technologies informed by decades of operational experience. It is designed to penetrate advanced air defenses, carry both conventional and nuclear payloads, and operate with an open architecture that supports future upgrades.

Northrop Grumman said it has invested more than $5 billion in the program’s digital and manufacturing infrastructure, reducing software certification time by 50 percent and enabling real-time validation of aircraft performance during tests. Advanced manufacturing tools, including digital and augmented reality technologies, are being used to improve efficiency and scale production across facilities nationwide.

The aircraft is intended to serve as part of a broader family of systems, integrating data, sensors and weapons to enhance situational awareness and precision strike capability. The company is also developing training, sustainment and fleet management tools to ensure the bomber enters service ready and sustainable at scale.

More than 8,000 industry and Air Force personnel, supported by over 400 suppliers across 40 states, are involved in the program. The B-21 Raider is named in honor of the World War II Doolittle Raid, led by Lt. Col. James “Jimmy” Doolittle, which Northrop Grumman said inspires the workforce behind the aircraft’s development.