The U.S. Air Force and Northrop Grumman broke ground on Sept. 29, 2026, on a new final assembly line for the B-21 Raider at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, adding approximately one million square feet of production space to support a planned 25% increase in annual production capacity. The Air Force announced the groundbreaking a week later, on Oct. 6.
The expansion is part of an effort to accelerate manufacturing and deliver the bomber to operational units more quickly, with the first aircraft scheduled to arrive at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, in 2027.
“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 of 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 new facility follows a February 2026 agreement between the Air Force and Northrop Grumman to increase annual B-21 production capacity by 25%, supported by $4.5 billion in funding authorized and appropriated under fiscal year 2025 reconciliation legislation. Northrop Grumman CEO Kathy Warden disclosed a $2.5 billion company investment in additional B-21 production capacity during an April 2026 earnings call.
“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 program of record currently envisions the procurement of 100 bombers. The Air Force has not formally committed to increasing that number, though U.S. officials have expressed interest in acquiring more than 100 B-21s.
On Sept. 9, the Air Force activated the B-21 Integration Detachment 1 at Ellsworth, dedicated to coordinating the bomber’s integration. Lt. Col. Joshua Dawkins assumed command during a ceremony presided over by Maj. Gen. Ty Neuman, commander of Eighth Air Force. Ellsworth is being prepared as the B-21’s first main operating base, with construction, communications setup, and crew training moving simultaneously.
“This methodology directly incorporates hard-learned lessons from legacy bomber transitions, avoiding past pitfalls by ensuring that logistics, training pipelines, and maintenance infrastructure are robustly established before the first B-21 arrives on the flightline in the coming years,” Neuman said.
Sources: Defense News · Army Times