B-21 - Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman Marks Five Years of B-21 Progress with Two Aircraft in Flow

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 14:00:00 GMT

In just over two years since completing Critical Design Review (CDR), Northrop Grumman has brought its digital design of the B-21 Raider to life, with two test aircraft in production today.

The Rise of the Raider is a story that began in February 2016 when Northrop Grumman initiated design and build work for the B-21, and the program has progressed rapidly in the years following. Within three years, the B-21’s design was proven stable and mature through a successful CDR completed in November 2018 at Northrop Grumman’s Manned Aircraft Design Center of Excellence in Melbourne, Florida.

Today, the first B-21 test article is “really starting to look like a bomber,” said Randall Walden, director of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, in an interview with Air Force Magazine in January 2021. Walden also confirmed the production of two B-21 aircraft at Northrop Grumman’s Aircraft Integration Center of Excellence in Palmdale, California.

Infrastructure investments have yielded significant benefits in the design and assembly of the B-21 Raider. Northrop Grumman’s highly skilled workforce leverages cutting-edge technologies—including highly immersive virtual environments, and both augmented and virtual reality—to drive innovation in digital engineering and advanced manufacturing to build a producible, sustainable and maintainable 21st century bomber.

“Our early and continued investment in infrastructure, design maturation, risk reduction and our workforce has been a significant driver of progress on our first two aircraft on the production line in Palmdale,” said Steve Sullivan, vice president and general manager, strike division, Northrop Grumman. “As a result, we are well-positioned for low-rate initial production following key milestones in 2022 and beyond.”

An example of the impact of these infrastructure and employee investments was a recent systems integration demonstration that further matured B-21 hardware and software integration, recently praised by the Air Force. These efforts are instrumental to the Raider’s rapid development.

“We’re not getting something experimental,” said Dr. Will Roper, the former Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, in a January 2021 Aviation Week interview. “We expect to get a representation of the full production [aircraft] to first flight. It is being designed for production innovation, for maintainability and sustainability, up front and back.”

As the program continues to prepare for the Rise of the Raider, Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Air Force are continuing their steadfast collaboration to provide the long-range penetrating strike aircraft the nation needs.

“The B-21 Raider is the product of a proud partnership between Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Air Force,” Sullivan said. “We are committed to delivering the world’s most capable, technologically advanced bomber that will equip our warfighters with every strategic advantage against our adversaries.”

Learn more about the B-21 and receive updates on the Rise of the Raider at www.northropgrumman.com/riseoftheraider.

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Why the B-21 Raider got its name

Warren Comer — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 15:31:00 GMT

During the early days of U.S. military involvement in World War II, the country had been caught off guard, suffering a string of devastating defeats, and left with few victories on the horizon. Most far-flung U.S. military outposts in the Pacific had...

Air Force Names the B-21 Bomber the Raider

Mon, 19 Sep 2016 17:24:00 GMT

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. – Sept. 19, 2016 –The Secretary of the Air Force, the honorable Deborah Lee James, announced the name of the B-21 bomber today, the Raider, during her state of the Air Force address at the Air Force Association’s national conference.

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) serves as the prime contractor for the B-21 Raider, leading a world-class industry team to design, build and deliver an advanced long-range strike system, capable of striking any target worldwide.

“The B-21’s name embodies the legacy and power projection of the Air Force’s long range strike capability. We are proud to partner with the Air Force to deliver a system that is so vital to our national security,” said Tom Vice, corporate vice president and president, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. “As the only company to ever design, build, deliver and modernize a long-range stealth system, we are committed to delivering the fleet of bombers for the 21st century.”

Northrop Grumman and its seven primary industry teammates continue to work with the Air Force to deliver the B-21 Raider to enter operations in the 2020s.

Northrop Grumman’s B-21 Raider industry team includes BAE Systems, GKN Aerospace, Janicki Industries, Orbital ATK, Pratt & Whitney, Rockwell Collins, and Spirit AeroSystems.

Learn more about the B-21 Raider at www.B21Raider.com.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in autonomous systems, cyber, C4ISR, strike, and logistics and modernization to customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.

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GAO Denies Protest, Northrop Grumman to Get Back to Work on America's New Bomber

Tue, 16 Feb 2016 18:15:00 GMT

FALLS CHURCH, Va., Feb. 16, 2016 -- The following is a statement by Randy Belote, vice president of strategic communications for Northrop Grumman Corporation:

Northrop Grumman is pleased that the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has denied Boeing's protest and reaffirmed the Air Force's decision to award Northrop Grumman the Long-Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B) contract. This confirms that the U.S. Air Force conducted an extraordinarily thorough selection process and selected the most capable and affordable solution.

The LRS-B is vitally important to national security and we are delighted to be resuming work on the next-generation Long-Range Strike Bomber.

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Northrop Grumman Statement on the Long-Range Strike Bomber Program

Sat, 19 Dec 2015 16:28:00 GMT

FALLS CHURCH, Va., Dec. 19, 2015 -- The following is a statement by Randy Belote, vice president of strategic communications for Northrop Grumman Corporation:

Northrop Grumman confirms that it filed comments with the GAO in support of the Air Force's decision to award Northrop Grumman the LRS-B program. We are now even more confident that the Air Force followed an extraordinarily thorough and careful selection process and picked the right team in Northrop Grumman to serve our nation. We understand that Boeing has filed an additional brief in this matter. This is a routine step, particularly at this stage in a protest, and not in any way indicative of a meritorious protest.

Northrop Grumman remains confident that we offered an inherently more affordable solution, reflecting our long and successful record of innovation, and that the GAO will affirm the Air Force's decision. The Air Force made the right choice in selecting Northrop Grumman to produce America's new bomber and we look forward to getting back to work to fulfill this vital mission.

  CONTACT: Randy Belote
         703-280-3500
         randy.belote@ngc.com

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Northrop Grumman Statement on Boeing's Protest of the Long-Range Strike Bomber Program

Fri, 06 Nov 2015 16:26:00 GMT

FALLS CHURCH, Va., Nov. 6, 2015 -- The following is a statement by Randy Belote, vice president of strategic communications for Northrop Grumman Corporation:

Northrop Grumman Corporation is disappointed that its former LRS-B competitors have decided to disrupt a program that is so vital to national security.

The U.S. Air Force conducted an exceptionally thorough and disciplined process with multiple layers of review. Their process took into full account the parties' respective offerings and their relative capabilities to execute their offerings on schedule and on budget.

Northrop Grumman offered an approach that is inherently more affordable and based on demonstrated performance and capabilities. Our record stands in contrast to that of other manufacturers' large aircraft programs of the last decade.

As the only company to ever design and build a stealth bomber, we offered the best solution for our nation's security. We look forward to the GAO reaffirming the Defense Department's decision so we can continue work on this critically vital program.

  CONTACT: Randy Belote
         703-280-3500
         randy.belote@ngc.com

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US Air Force Selects Northrop Grumman as Partner on Long-Range Strike Bomber

Tue, 27 Oct 2015 19:44:00 GMT

FALLS CHURCH, Va. -- The U.S. Air Force has selected Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) to deliver the nation's new Long-Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B). This selection continues the company's 35-year partnership with the Air Force in providing the world's most advanced long-range strike systems.

"The Air Force has made the right decision for our nation's security," said Wes Bush, chairman, chief executive officer and president, Northrop Grumman. "As the company that developed and delivered the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, we look forward to providing the Air Force with a highly-capable and affordable next-generation Long-Range Strike Bomber.

"Our team has the resources in place to execute this important program, and we're ready to get to work," Bush added.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in unmanned systems, cyber, C4ISR, and logistics and modernization to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.

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