A work pause on the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile program is over, and Northrop Grumman has moved into negotiations with the Air Force about accelerating B-21 bomber production, company officials said July 22.
Kathy Warden
Northrop Grumman took a $477 million loss on the B-21 bomber program in the first quarter; executives said the expense will both cover unexpected materials costs and make it possible to accelerate production of the aircraft, if that’s something the Air Force wants to do.
Northrop Grumman has received a second B-21 bomber low-rate initial production contract from the Air Force, with which it has discussed accelerating production, the company said.
The Air Force is working on a sweeping force structure review mandated by Congress and reconsidering its approach for the Next-Generation Air Dominance fighter. Key to both, however, could be another question: just how large will the service’s B-21 bomber fleet be? During an Oct. 24 earnings ...
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Northrop Grumman took a $1.56 billion charge on its B-21 bomber program for the Air Force, company officials said in its quarterly earnings report. Inflation and “a lot more information” derived from building and flying the first aircraft drove the overage, officials said.
Northrop Grumman won't get its B-21 low-rate initial production contract until after first flight happens, company officials said on their quarterly earnings call. They also said Northrop won’t make any money on the B-21 in the LRIP phase, due to higher labor costs and inflation ...
In another step toward first flight, the initial B-21 Raider has had its first “power-on” test, Northrop Grumman CEO Kathy Warden announced. The company still expects first flight—and a contract for low-rate initial production—by the end of 2023, she said in the company's second quarter ...
Australia says it won’t buy the B-21 bomber, but Northrop Grumman CEO Kathy Warden said it may still be “on the table” when the program is more mature. Warden also reiterated that the new bomber will fly this year.
Inflation threatens Northrop Grumman's profits on the B-21 bomber program, as the program moves from development to production, company officials said on their quarterly earnings call. The program remains below cost and on schedule, though, they said.
With the B-21 rollout, the Air Force begins recapitalizing the bomber force.
In a nighttime ceremony contrived to continue concealment of many of its features, the new B-21 bomber rolled out of Northrop Grumman's Palmdale, Calif. plant Dec. 2. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the aircraft's advanced technology represents "deterrence, the American way."