NEWS ARTICLES

Northrop Grumman Corporation and the U.S. Air Force have unveiled the B-21 Raider.

The B-21 joins America's nuclear triad and is designed for the U.S. Air Force to meet its most complex missions. As a sixth-generation aircraft, its capabilities include stealth, information advantage and open architecture.

“The Northrop Grumman team develops and delivers technology that advances science, looks into the future and brings it to the here and now,” said Kathy Warden, chair, chief executive officer and president, Northrop Grumman. 

“The B-21 Raider defines a new era in technology and strengthens America’s role of delivering peace through deterrence.”

The aircraft forms the backbone of the future for U.S. air power, leading a family of systems that deliver a new era of capability and flexibility through advanced integration of data, sensors and weapons.

It is capable of networking across the battlespace to multiple systems, and into all domains. Supported by a digital ecosystem throughout its lifecycle, the B-21 is designed to quickly evolve through rapid technology upgrades that provide new capabilities to outpace future threats.

“The B-21 Raider is a testament to America’s enduring advantages in ingenuity and innovation. And it’s proof of the Department’s long-term commitment to building advanced capabilities that will fortify America’s ability to deter aggression, today and into the future.” said Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III. 

"Now, strengthening and sustaining U.S. deterrence is at the heart of our National Defense Strategy."

Since the contract award in 2015, Northrop Grumman has assembled a nationwide team to design, test and build the strike aircraft. The B-21 team includes more than 8,000 people from Northrop Grumman, industry partners and the U.S. Air Force and consists of more than 400 suppliers across 40 states.

The B-21 Raider is named in honor of the Doolittle Raids of World War II when 80 men, led by Lt. Col. James “Jimmy” Doolittle, and 16 B-25 Mitchell medium bombers set off on a mission that changed the course of World War II. 

The designation B-21 recognizes the Raider as the first bomber of the 21st century.  

Northrop Grumman is an AVALON 2023 Major Industry Sponsor.