U.S. Air Force expands B-21 Raider production and maintenance capacity

The U.S. Air Force has initiated two major infrastructure projects to support the B-21 Raider stealth bomber program. In Palmdale, California, the Department of the Air Force and Northrop Grumman have broken ground on a new final assembly line at Plant 42. This expansion, involving more than one million square feet of new facilities, aims to increase annual B-21 production capacity by 25 percent as the aircraft moves toward initial operational deliveries.

Simultaneously, construction has begun at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma for the Bomber Agile Common Hangar (BACH). This facility will serve as a depot-level maintenance hub. It will initially support B-52 Stratofortress modernization programs, including engine and radar upgrades, before transitioning to provide sustainment and maintenance for the B-21 Raider.