Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following statement:
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III will travel to Palmdale and Simi Valley, California, Dec. 2-3. In Palmdale, he will deliver remarks Dec. 2 at the U.S. Air Force B-21 Raider unveiling ceremony. During the event, the Secretary will highlight the nation’s ability to bring the military and industry together to innovate, adapt, and deliver technology like the B-21 to deter threats and strengthen national security. Additionally, Secretary Austin will underscore the B-21’s role in providing flexible, conventional and nuclear capabilities in support of the National Defense Strategy.
From there, Secretary Austin will travel to Simi Valley where he will participate in a letter-of-intent signing with U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, partnering SBA and DoD’s newly-established Office of Strategic Capital. Later in the day, he will deliver a keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. Secretary Austin’s keynote remarks will focus on Department of Defense top-level priorities and how the DoD is advancing the National Defense Strategy through integrated deterrence, campaigning, and actions that build enduring advantages.