USAF, Northrop Grumman Reach Agreement On B-21 Capacity

Brian Everstine February 23, 2026

Credit: Northrop Grumman

AURORA, Colorado—The U.S. Air Force and Northrop Grumman have reached an agreement to increase production capacity of the B-21, bolstered by billions in additional funding provided by last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Air Force Secretary Troy Meink announced the agreement on Feb. 23, saying that industry across the board has increased its production capacity—but not enough.

“No as fast as we need and want, but faster than they had,” Meink said in an address at the Air and Space Forces Association’s Air Warfare Symposium here. “The B-21 is doing well, and we recently reached an agreement to ramp production capacity.”

In a subsequent announcement, the Air Force laid out the long-awaited production capacity increase. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act included $4.5 billion in funding to increase production, along with Northrop Grumman announcing up to $3 billion of its own funding for production.

The agreement would increase annual capacity by 25%, though the Air Force did not specify an exact production rate. The exact pace is classified, though understood to be up to eight aircraft per year. The Air Force also said the agreement would compress delivery timelines and preserve “cost and performance discipline.”

The Air Force and Northrop Grumman said the program is on pace to deliver aircraft to Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota, in 2027. Two flight test aircraft have been delivered, with additional aircraft undergoing ground testing. Two flight test aircraft are in assembly.

“The strong performance of the B-21 program has our Northrop Grumman and Air Force team ready to accelerate production of this game-changing capability for our nation,” Northrop Grumman CEO Kathy Warden said in an announcement. “Northrop Grumman has invested more than $5 billion in digital engineering and manufacturing infrastructure, and we are ready to produce B-21 faster.”

Warden had said on Feb. 18 that the agreement had been expected in March, indicating an accelerated process to make the announcement at the symposium.

The Air Force has a program of record for 100 B-21s, but key leaders have called for at least 150 of the bombers.

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B-21 Production

Northrop Gets B-21 Production Award, Rate Hike Talks Ongoing

Brian Everstine January 27, 2026

B-21

The U.S. Air Force in December 2025 awarded Northrop Grumman contracts for the next production lot of B-21 Raider bombers, along with advanced procurement for a future lot, as the two sides continue negotiations for a potential rate increase.

Northrop CEO Kathy Warden, in a Jan. 27 earnings call, announced the awards of an undisclosed amount for Lot 3 low-rate initial production and Lot 5 advanced procurement as the company had expected.

The Air Force in a subsequent statement said it had secured milestone decision authority approval for the awards and executed the contracts in December.

Warden highlighted that the program has been meeting “key milestones,” to include the first flight of the second aircraft in September 2025. There has not been an update on a third flight test aircraft since.

The Air Force and Northrop Grumman have outlined a goal to accelerate bomber production, along with a strong likelihood that the program of record will increase beyond the current level of 100. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed last summer included $4.5 billion to speed up production, though it is not yet clear how this will be spent.

“We continue to work closely with the Air Force on plans to increase the production rate of the program,” Warden says. “Our priority is to establish a mutually beneficial agreement that accelerates the delivery of this game-changing capability to our nation.”

Warden says she is confident there will be an agreement this quarter.

“We are still working through the finer points of that deal and its financial implications for the company,” she says.

Warden told investors the company is expecting to invest $2 billion to $3 billion “over a period” to increase production capacity over a multiyear period. The greater impact of the investments, and potential returns, will happen in 2027, 2028 and into 2029, she says.

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Lufthansa Reportedly Moves to Sell Two Boeing 747-8s to the US Air Force

TOPICS:747-8 interim solutionaerospace program delaysAir Force One delayBoeing 747-8 saleBoeing widebody aircraftLufthansa Boeing 747-8military aviation procurementpresidential aircraft programUS Air Force aviationUS Air Force One replacement

Posted By: Rob Vogelaar December 15, 2025

Aviation News – Lufthansa is reportedly selling two Boeing 747-8 aircraft to the US Air Force as an interim solution to delays affecting the next-generation presidential aircraft program, a move that could help bridge a critical capability gap.

The reported transaction comes as the US Air Force faces significant delays in the delivery of two newly built Boeing 747-8s ordered to replace the current Air Force One fleet. According to recent disclosures, the new aircraft are now not expected to be ready until at least mid-2028, pushing the timeline well beyond earlier expectations.

The aircraft involved are two Boeing 747-8s currently owned by Lufthansa, one of the world’s largest airline operators of the type. The US Air Force has already contracted Boeing to manufacture and heavily modify two new 747-8s for presidential use, but ongoing technical, supply chain, and certification challenges have slowed progress on the program.

The Boeing 747-8 is a long-range, widebody aircraft known for its range, payload capacity, and reliability. Acquiring existing airframes could allow the Air Force to accelerate modification work, bypassing some manufacturing delays while critical systems are installed, bolted into place, and tested to meet stringent security and communications requirements.

Photo Jeroen Vogelaar 

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