The B-21 Raider, America’s next-generation stealth bomber, has gained much-needed momentum.

After a successful maiden flight in November 2023, the futuristic aircraft encountered turbulence due to cost overruns on the initial batch.

However, recent negotiations between the Air Force and Northrop Grumman, the B-21’s manufacturer, have cleared the runway for continued development.

B-21 Raider: Initial Losses, Strategic Wins

Northrop Grumman, locked into fixed-price contracts for the first 21 B-21 Raider aircraft, faced a financial headwind with over $1 billion in cost overruns.

Recognizing this, the Pentagon agreed to a higher price cap for the next 19 aircraft, ensuring continued production without jeopardizing the program’s health or burdening the contractor further.

“Final terms, quantity, and pricing beyond the first 21 (B-21) aircraft are subject to negotiation. The government and Northrop Grumman have established not to exceed pricing for an additional 19 aircraft,” the company wrote in a June 18 release. “The average not-to-exceed value for the subsequent lots is above the average unit price of the five LRIP (Low-Rate Initial Production) lots.”

Balancing Affordability and Capability

Despite the initial cost adjustments, the long-term goal of achieving an average unit cost of $550 million per B-21 stealth bomber in 2010 dollars (around $700 million today) remains paramount.

This target, crucial for program affordability, depends on the Air Force ultimately acquiring at least 100 B-21s.