24/7 Wall St. Insights
- 24/7 Wall Street reviewed a catalog of aircraft from Military Factory, an online database of arms, vehicles, and aircraft used by militaries globally to identify the most iconic combat aircraft manufactured by Northrop Grumman.
- Northrop Grumman has been manufacturing aircraft for the U.S. military for decades.
- Also, Discover “The Next NVIDIA”
Northrop Grumman is the weapons manufacturer behind the futuristic warplane, the B-21 Raider. The B-21 is the first sixth-generation warplane to be developed. The U.S. Air Force announced the first round of testing in May 2024 at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The B-21 is expected to eventually replace B-1 and B-2 Bombers. While the B-21 Raider is the latest evolution of aircraft, Northrop Grumman has been building aircraft and other weapons since the original company’s founding in 1939.
24/7 Wall Street reviewed a catalog of aircraft from Military Factory, an online database of arms, vehicles, and aircraft used by militaries globally to identify the most iconic combat aircraft manufactured by Northrop Grumman. Aircraft before and after the 1994 merger are included, but drones and helicopters are excluded. Because of their vast catalog, this list is in alphabetical order. It includes additional information about aircraft type, the year they were first introduced, units manufactured, top speed, and armament.
Northrop Grumman is one of the world’s biggest aerospace and defense companies. The company has more than 95,000 personnel and its revenues exceeded$36 billion in 2022. The company produces aircraft, vehicles, arms, and more for the global market. For decades, the company has had the reputation of building iconic and legendary weapons for military arsenals. In 1994, Northrop Corporation merged with Grumman Corporation. Previously the companies had operated separately, playing important roles in WWII and other major military actions through the present day.
Why are we covering aircraft manufacturing?
The U.S. Air Force’s mission is to “Fly, fight, and win” airpower anytime, anywhere. Achieving this mission may seem daunting, but they employ five core functions to get them there: air superiority, global strike, rapid global mobility, ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance), and command and control. In fulfilling this mission, an Air Force aircraft departs every 90 seconds, 24 hours a day, each day of the year. Understanding where these aircraft come from is just a piece of knowing the inner workings of this arm of our military, in addition to our US Navy, who also utilize aircraft often.
Here is a look at the most iconic combat aircraft manufactured by Northrop Grumman:
A-6 Intruder
- Type: Carrierborne heavy strike aircraft
- Year introduced: 1963
- Total units produced: 693
- Top speed: 644 mph
- Armament: Cluster bombs, Maverick missiles, Harpoon missiles, HARM anti-radiation missiles, Sparrow missiles, Paveway II/III laser-guided bombs
AF Guardian
- Type: Carrierborne anti-submarine warfare aircraft
- Year introduced: 1950
- Total units produced: 389
- Top speed: 317 mph
- Armament: Conventional drop bombs, depth charges, torpedoes, rockets
B-2 Spirit
- Type: Strategic heavy stealth bomber
- Year introduced: 1997
- Total units produced: 21
- Top speed: 628 mph
- Armament: Air-launched cruise missiles, nuclear bombs, conventional drop bombs, joint-direct attack munitions, air-to-surface stand-off missiles
B-21 Raider
- Type: Sixth-generation long-range strategic bomber
- Year introduced: Expected in 2028
- Total units produced: In-development
- Top speed: 621 mph
- Armament: Conventional drop bombs, precision-guided bombs, nuclear ordnance
EA-6 Prowler
- Type: Carrierborne electronic warfare aircraft
- Year introduced: 1963
- Total units produced: 197
- Top speed: 652 mph
- Armament: HARM anti-radiation missiles, ALQ-99 tactical jamming system mission pods
F-14 Tomcat
- Type: Carrierborne fleet defense fighter
- Year introduced: 1974
- Total units produced: 712
- Top speed: 1544 mph
- Armament: 20mm M61A1 Vulcan internal cannon, Phoenix missiles, Sparrow missiles, Sidewinder missiles, laser-guided bombs, joint direct attack munitions, precision-guided bombs
F-35 Lightning II
- Type: Fifth-generation multirole strike fighter aircraft
- Year introduced: 2016
- Total units produced: 785
- Top speed: 1199 mph
- Armament: 25mm GAU-12/U internal automatic cannon, Sidewinder missiles, Paveway II/III guided bombs, cluster bombs, Stormshadow cruise missiles, conventional drop bombs, air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles
F-5 Freedom Fighter / Tiger / Tiger II
- Type: Lightweight multirole aircraft
- Year introduced: 1962
- Total units produced: 2246
- Top speed: 1077 mph
- Armament: 20mm M39A2 internal automatic cannons, Sidewinder missiles, Maverick missiles, rocket pods
F-89 Scorpion
- Type: Interceptor aircraft
- Year introduced: 1950
- Total units produced: 1050
- Top speed: 636 mph
- Armament: 20mm T-31 internal automatic cannons, Mighty mouse rockets, Falcon missiles
F11F / F-11 Tiger
- Type: Carrierborne fighter aircraft
- Year introduced: 1956
- Total units produced: 201
- Top speed: 750 mph
- Armament: 20mm Colt Mk 12 internal automatic cannons, Sidewinder missiles
F3F
- Type: Carrierborne biplane fighter aircraft
- Year introduced: 1936
- Total units produced: 147
- Top speed: 264 mph
- Armament: 7.62mm Browning M1919 machine guns, 12.7mm Browning M2 heavy machine guns, conventional drop bombs
F4F Wildcat
- Type: Carrierborne monoplane fighter aircraft
- Year introduced: 1940
- Total units produced: 7722
- Top speed: 332 mph
- Armament: 12.7mm Browning M2 machine guns, conventional drop bombs
F6F Hellcat
- Type: Carrierborne fighter-bomber aircraft
- Year introduced: 1943
- Total units produced: 12272
- Top speed: 380 mph
- Armament: 12.7mm Browning M2 heavy machine guns, 20mm automatic cannons, Tiny Tim unguided rockets, conventional drop bombs, torpedoes
F8F Bearcat
- Type: Carrierborne fighter / interceptor aircraft
- Year introduced: 1945
- Total units produced: 1266
- Top speed: 421 mph
- Armament: 12.7mm machine guns, 20mm cannons, rockets, conventional drop bombs
F9F Cougar
- Type: Carrierborne fighter aircraft
- Year introduced: 1952
- Total units produced: 1392
- Top speed: 647 mph
- Armament: 20mm M2 cannons, air-to-surface rockets, Sidewinder missiles, conventional drop bombs
F9F Panther
- Type: Carrierborne fighter aircraft
- Year introduced: 1949
- Total units produced: 1382
- Top speed: 545 mph
- Armament: 20mm M2 cannons, air-to-surface rockets
N-3PB Nomad
- Type: Reconnaissance / bomber floatplane
- Year introduced: 1941
- Total units produced: 24
- Top speed: 257 mph
- Armament: 12.7mm heavy machine guns, 7.62mm machine guns, conventional drop bombs
Orbital ATK AC-208 Eliminator
- Type: Close-air support / reconnaissance aircraft
- Year introduced: 2008
- Total units produced: 50
- Top speed: 214 mph
- Armament: Hellfire air-to-surface missiles, rocket pods
P-61 / F-61 Black Widow
- Type: Night fighter / reconnaissance aircraft
- Year introduced: 1943
- Total units produced: 742
- Top speed: 366 mph
- Armament: 12.7mm Browning M2 heavy machine guns, 20mm Hispano M2 automatic cannons, unguided aerial rockets, precision-guided bombs
S-2 Tacker (S2F)
- Type: Anti-submarine warfare aircraft
- Year introduced: 1954
- Total units produced: 1284
- Top speed: 280 mph
- Armament: Torpedoes, depth charges, naval mines, rockets
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