WASHINGTON – March 18, 2024 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) received the Aviation Week Grand Laureate Award in the defense category for its role as the prime contractor delivering the B-21 Raider to the United States Air Force. Aviation Week announced the Grand Laureate winners at its 66th Annual Laureate awards in Washington, D.C.
“On behalf of the entire nationwide B-21 Raider team, Northrop Grumman is honored to receive this prestigious award,” said Tom Jones, corporate vice president and president, Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems. “The Grand Laureate represents the pioneering spirit, innovative technology and trailblazing approach to contract management that has brought the world’s first sixth-generation aircraft to life.”
In the fall of 2023, the Air Force confirmed the first B-21 test vehicle had entered flight test, followed by low-rate initial production award. The aircraft is currently undergoing a robust flight test campaign executed by the B-21 Combined Test Force at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The program continues to meet all DoD technical, schedule and affordability requirements on its path to operational capability.
Northrop Grumman’s sixth-generation aircraft, the B-21, forms the backbone of future U.S. air power, leading a powerful family of systems that deliver a new era of capability and flexibility by seamlessly integrating data, sensors, and weapons. Built with next-generation stealth, advanced networking and an open systems architecture, the B-21 is specifically designed for high-threat environments, ensuring the U.S. Air Force is equipped to accomplish its most challenging missions.
Northrop Grumman is a leading global aerospace and defense technology company. Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with the capabilities they need to connect and protect the world, and push the boundaries of human exploration across the universe. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers’ toughest problems, our employees define possible every day.
