California Construction News staff writer
The U.S. Department of the Air Force and Northrop Grumman have broken ground on a new final assembly line at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, as part of an expansion aimed at increasing production of the B-21 Raider stealth bomber.
The Sept. 29 groundbreaking marks the start of construction on more than one million square feet of new facilities to support the aircraft program.
The expansion is part of an agreement between the Air Force and Northrop Grumman to increase annual B-21 production capacity by 25 per cent while maintaining cost, schedule and performance targets.
“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,” Gen. Dale White, director of Critical Major Weapon Systems, said in a statement.
“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 Air Force is applying $4.5 billion in funding authorized and appropriated under fiscal 2025 reconciliation legislation to accelerate production of the approved B-21 acquisition profile of 100 aircraft.
Col. Nicholas Jordan, B-21 Systems program director for the Air Force’s Rapid Capabilities Office, said the program had established the foundation for increasing output.
“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,” Jordan said.
The B-21 is a long-range strike aircraft designed to operate in heavily defended environments. Its capabilities include stealth technology, network connectivity and modern command-and-control systems intended to support military operations against emerging threats.
The aircraft is currently undergoing flight testing. The program remains on track to have aircraft at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota in 2027, according to the Air Force.
The Plant 42 expansion is intended to support the transition from flight testing and initial production to higher manufacturing rates and faster delivery of operational aircraft.
