Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC) expects more Air Force B-21 contracts by the end of the year
Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) belongs to the The 10 largest defense stocks in 2025. During an earnings call with investors on Oct. 21, CEO Kathy Warden said the defense company expects more new contracts from the United States Air Force (USAF) for the B-21 program by the end of this year.
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In July, Congress had passed the Budget Reconciliation Act, which provided $4.5 billion to accelerate production of the stealth bomber. According to Warden, Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) is actively working with the USAF to accelerate production. However, the ongoing government shutdown has delayed these discussions.
If an agreement is reached, the company plans to increase investments to boost production. An acceleration of the B-21 program will also likely result in higher revenues for the company in 2026, Warden said, declining to comment on how much revenue could grow.
The CEO of Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) was quoted by Defense News as saying:
“The actual production rates, the timing and ultimately the outcome of those negotiations with the Air Force would determine what that financial profile looks like. It’s too early for me to speculate on that.”
According to reports, the USAF plans to purchase at least 100 B-21s sometime in the 2030s to replace the aging and retired fleets of the B-2 Spirit and B-1 Lancers. However, if the service decides to buy more than 100 B-21s, the request would be addressed in separate negotiations in addition to production acceleration discussions, Warden said.
Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) is one of the largest defense contractors in the world. It is engaged in the design, development, integration and maintenance of advanced systems in the fields of aeronautics, spaceflight, defense electronics and mission solutions.
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