In light of the nation’s focus on high-end threats and near-peer adversaries following release of the 2018 National Defense Strategy (NDS), the Air Force is taking a new look at its requirements, including the number of B-21 stealth bombers it will need, according to service officials.
Will Roper, the Air Force’s head of acquisition and technology, told a House Armed Services panel on Feb. 26 that “we’re looking at everything.” He added that “Roles and missions when you’re fighting a peer are going to be different than when you’re fighting a non-peer or a low-end violent extremist, so I think the things before the NDS, all of them are on the table to be relooked at.”
Lt. Gen. David Nahom, the Air Force deputy chief of staff for plans and programs, told the panel that current plan for 100 B-21s “was always a minimum.” The future bomber force will consist of B-52s and B-21s with the combined total more than 200 aircraft, he told the Projection Forces panel.
