The Air Force and Northrop Grumman have broken ground on a new B-21 Raider final assembly line in Palmdale, Calif., putting a previously announced effort to accelerate bomber production into construction.
The new assembly line at Air Force Plant 42 is part of over a million square feet of planned facilities expected to increase annual B-21 production capacity by 25%, according to the Air Force. The groundbreaking took place Sept. 29 and was publicized by Air Force officials Oct. 2.
The expansion follows a February agreement between the Air Force and Northrop Grumman to use $4.5 billion in congressional funding to increase B-21 production capacity. Northrop has also said it is investing billions of dollars in its manufacturing infrastructure to support the production ramp-up.
Pentagon officials also said in March they were considering a second B-21 production line as the Air Force sought to increase Raider output. At the time, the additional line remained under consideration.
More recently, Exchange Monitor reported in September that Northrop had opened an 845,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Utah to support increased B-21 production capacity. The Monitor also reported on a new weapons-release-system storage facility at Whiteman Air Force Base, where the B-21 is expected to eventually replace the B-2.
The production expansion comes as the Air Force prepares for the B-21’s first operational deployment. The first aircraft is scheduled to arrive at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., in 2027.