Warden made the comments during Northrop Grumman’s second-quarter 2026 earnings call on July 21. She was responding to a question about whether discussions had taken place on increasing the B-21 program of record beyond 100 aircraft.
“The agreement we reached with the Air Force does allow them to consider accelerating production into a larger program of record,” Warden said. “And we are working with them in that analysis, they are undertaking it now.”
“I expect that by year-end, they will come to a conclusion on that, and we’ll certainly keep you updated,” Warden added. Her comments indicate that both production pace and the potential size of the program are under review by the Air Force.
The B-21 also featured in Warden’s broader comments on Northrop Grumman’s investment strategy. She said investment in the bomber and other programs is positioning the company for higher revenue growth.
“I look at the investments that we’ve made in the last several years as both investing in capability for new product lines,” Warden said. She added that investments “in programs like the B-21, our offerings for Golden Dome, all really position us for that increased top line growth that we are starting to see.”
Warden also pointed to Northrop Grumman’s flying-wing technology while discussing the company’s aerospace portfolio. She described the B-2 and B-21 as examples of the company’s signature stealth bomber technology.
Northrop Grumman is also investing in production capacity as it prepares for higher output across major programs. Warden said the company is scaling advanced factories and increasing production rates and volumes to meet customer demand.
The B-21 remains one of the programs at the center of that production expansion. Warden’s comments show that the Air Force is now assessing whether the existing arrangement could support both faster production and a larger overall bomber fleet.