United States Air Force Plant 42 is a classified United States Government aircraft manufacturing plant, used by the United States Air Force. It is also used by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration .Plant 42 and Palmdale Regional Airport are separate facilities that share a common runway at the site. The facility is located in the Antelope Valley, approximately 60 miles from downtown Los Angeles.OverviewPlant 42 is a United States Air Force facility. It is the Antelope Valley's second-largest employer, and is owned by Wright-Patterson AFB but operated as a component of Edwards Air Force Base, 23 miles north east of the airport. Most of the facilities are operated by private contractors and serve as a manufacturing plant for aircraft used by the United States and their allies' militaries.Plant 42 has 3.2 million square feet of industrial space and a replacement value of $1.1 billion. Some of the plant's work involves production of spare parts for military aircraft, with other projects including maintenance and modification of aircraft such as the B-2 Spirit bomber and production of the Global Hawk and other unmanned craft.Aerospace contractors at Air Force Plant 42 share a common runway complex, and either lease building space from the Air Force (commonly referred to as GOCO, or Government Owned Contractor Operated) or own their own buildings outright (e.g., Lockheed Martin Skunk Works). There are eight production sites specially suited for advanced technology and/or "black" program projects. Currently the most well-known contractors at Plant 42 are Boeing, Lockheed Martin (home of the legendary Skunk Works) and Northrop Grumman. Previously the facilities were operated by IT&T, McDonnell-Douglas Aircraft Co., Lockheed California Co., Norair, a Division of Northrop Corp. and Lockheed Air Terminal.
