The name Jack Northrop Field came from the Northrop Aircraft Corporation, founded by Jack Northrop, which for years designed, built and flew many classic airplanes including YB-35 flying wing, the P-61 Black Widow and F-89 Scorpion night fighters, the F-5 Freedom Fighter, and the T-38 Talon jet trainer. During World War II, the airfield was used by the United States Army Air Forces Air Technical Service Command as an aircraft modification center and Air Transport Command to ferry new aircraft to operational units. SpaceX and its spinoff The Boring Company originally were headquartered at the southeast end of the airport, and continue to have operations there. The Boring Test Tunnel runs just under the fence line at the north-east corner before running under West 120th Street. The Tesla Design Studio is located at the airport as well. US air taxi firm Archer Aviation acquired the master ground lease for the airport from the city of Hawthorne in November 2025 for $126 million. The electric aircraft manufacturer will operate the airport while using it as their operational hub for the Los Angeles area. Archer will use the airport for testing of its aircraft with the possibility of creating an urban air mobility base for multiple air taxi companies. Archer will use it as a base for passenger-carrying operations in the Los Angeles area during the 2028 Summer Olympics.