Air Force reaches deal with Northrop to expand B-21 production
The Pentagon wants to spend $4.5 billion in bomber-related reconciliation funds this year alone.
AURORA, Colorado—Air Force officials and Northrop Grumman have reached a deal to accelerate B-21 bomber production by 25 percent following months of negotiations, the service and company announced Monday.
Tucked into the $151 billion reconciliation legislation last summer was $4.5 billion to increase production of next-generation bombers. While those funds can be spent over five years, the Defense Department plans to execute all of it by this October “if that can be done without sacrificing effectiveness,” according to a Pentagon planning document obtained by Defense One on Monday. It’s unclear how the military plans to use the money to accelerate production, and the document said details were classified.
“The B-21 is foundational to our long-range strike capability and to credible deterrence,” Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said in a Monday press release. “Accelerating production capacity now ensures we deliver operational capability to combatant commanders faster—strengthening our ability to outpace, deter, and, if necessary, defeat emerging threats. This is disciplined execution at the speed the security environment demands.”
Negotiations about spending the $4.5 billion in B-21-related funding were delayed by a government shutdown in October. Northrop CEO Kathy Warden said an agreement for increased production would help the company’s bottom line, but would also spend anywhere from $2 billion to $3 billion in facility investments to meet the Air Force’s needs. As of last year, the company has taken around a $2 billion hit trying to accelerate the program and cover material costs.
Monday, the company said it is committed to getting more of the bombers built.
“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,” Warden said in a press release. “Northrop Grumman has invested more than $5 billion in digital engineering and manufacturing infrastructure, and we are ready to produce B-21 faster.”
Northrop was awarded the low-rate initial production contract for Lot Three and the advanced procurement funding for Lot Five late last year. The Air Force has previously planned to buy 100 B-21 bombers, but some officials have made the case for nearly 150 aircraft. The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies has made a push for 200 bombers to “reduce the risk of losing a conflict with China,” its policy report earlier this month detailed.
Air Force officials said B-21 bombers were delivered on schedule last year and that the service remains “on track” to deliver the first aircraft in 2027 to Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, which will serve as the bomber’s first main operating base and formal training unit.