Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Air Force are accelerating production capacity of the B-21 Raider.
Currently in production with final assembly at Northrop's Palmdale, California, facility and other manufacturing operations across the U.S., the first B-21 aircraft is on track to arrive at Ellsworth Air Force Base in 2027.
According to Kathy Warden, chair, CEO, and president of Northrop, the company has invested more than $5 billion in digital engineering and manufacturing infrastructure to accelerate production of the B-21. For example, software certification time has been reduced by 50%.
The B-21 has successfully moved through ground and flight tests, outperforming digital model expectations, according to the company.
Northrop's digital environment enables effective flight-test planning and real-time test data analysis, powering increased test cadence and efficiency as the test fleet expanded in 2025.
The B-21 Raider incorporates next-generation stealth technologies. Its advanced low-observable design allows it to penetrate the most sophisticated air defenses and operate undetected in contested environments. Modernized, low-observable processes will also make the B-21 easier and less costly to maintain than prior systems.
The Raider is designed to deliver both conventional and nuclear payloads, and has an open architecture to deliver upgrades.
Multiple B-21 Raider aircraft are currently in flight test. The Combined Test Force, composed of Northrop Grumman and Air Force personnel, is an example of how government and industry can partner to deliver capability to the warfighter quickly and efficiently.
Northrop's advanced manufacturing processes, including digital and augmented reality tools, enable technicians to visualize tasks and solve problems before ever touching the plane. According to the company, the approach connects technicians to design engineers, improving efficiency and cultivating expertise throughout the manufacturing workforce.
A team of more than 8,000 U.S. industry and Air Force personnel is designing, building, and testing the B-21. The team consists of more than 400 suppliers across 40 states.
The B-21 Raider is named in honor of the Doolittle Raid of World War II, when 80 airmen, led by Lt. Col. James “Jimmy” Doolittle, and 16 B-25 Mitchell medium bombers set off on a mission that changed the course of World War II.
