The U.S. military's B-21 stealth bomber production expansion plan has entered the construction stage, and the annual production capacity target will increase by 25%.

The US military's B-21 "Raider" stealth bomber underwent aerial refueling testing by a KC-135 tanker; the US military has built a new B-21 assembly line at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, with an annual production capacity target of 25%.

[Compiled by Chen Chengliang/Comprehensive Report] The U.S. new generation B-21 "Raider" (B-21 Raider) stealth bomber mass production plan is moving forward again, the U.S. Air Force and Northrop. Northrop Grumman started construction of a new final assembly line at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, on September 29. It plans to add more than 92,900 square meters of facilities and aims to increase B-21 annual production capacity by 25%.

The military news website "Army Recognition" reported that information and on-site photos released by the U.S. Air Force on October 2 showed that this project has entered the actual construction stage from the previous expansion plan and capital investment. This new assembly line has not yet announced an official number and will become an important manufacturing facility for increasing the production speed of the B-21.

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The U.S. Air Force and Northrop Grumman reached an agreement in February this year to use US$4.5 billion in congressionally authorized funds to expand B-21 production capacity, with the goal of increasing annual production capacity by 25%. Northrop Grumman also plans to invest approximately US$2.5 billion over several years to expand B-21 related manufacturing facilities and production capacity.

The core of this expansion is to increase the B-21 final assembly capacity. The B-21 is still in the flight testing and system integration stage, and the new production facilities will allow the U.S. military to have greater manufacturing space when the delivery speed increases in the future. The U.S. Air Force currently plans to station the first batch of B-21s at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota in 2027.

The production expansion plan officially enters the construction stage

The expansion of B-21 production is not limited to California, either. Northrop Grumman opened a new manufacturing facility in Layton, Utah, in September. Several buildings totaling approximately 78,500 square meters will support the manufacturing of new generation military aircraft and the expansion of B-21 production. However, the start of construction of the new final assembly line in Palmdale is the latest progress in the current B-21 production expansion plan, which has officially entered the actual construction stage from funding and planning.

The B-21 is scheduled to become one of the core models of the US military's future bomber force, coexisting with the continuously upgraded B-52 and gradually replacing the B-1B and B-2. As the new assembly line begins to be constructed, the U.S. Air Force and Northrop Grumman are simultaneously expanding their manufacturing capabilities to prepare for increasing the B-21 annual production capacity.