Northrop Grumman is investing $2.5 billion of its own funds to accelerate production of the stealth B-21 Raider bombers, as announced by the company’s CEO, Kathy Warden.
According to Breaking Defense, $200 million of the total amount will be allocated as early as 2026 for this purpose. The move is part of an agreement with the U.S. Air Force aimed at increasing aircraft production rates by 25%.
A large portion of the $2.5 billion investment will be directed toward expanding and modernizing the company’s production facilities. Most of the funding is planned for the period between 2027 and 2029.
The investment will help improve the long-term economics of the program, create the potential to expand the overall order, and enable faster implementation of technological solutions to increase the aircraft’s serial production.
The Air Force also plans to secure $4.5 billion in additional funding to support the accelerated pace of work. Currently, the Air Force is considering increasing the procurement volume from 100 to 145 bombers.
Each B-21 unit costs around $700 million. Although the parties are not disclosing the exact price per aircraft, Warden emphasized more favorable economic terms for both the government and the manufacturer.
Photo: U.S. Air Force. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
