The US Air Force will increase its share of strategic aircraft in the future and procure at least 100 B-21 Raider nuclear bombers

The US Air Force is considering changing the ratio of fighters to bombers. But this is not a matter for the near future.

Here's What We Know

US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall has revealed little of his plans for the future. According to him, the service wants to have more strategic aviation aircraft. At the moment, there are 15 fighters for every bomber.

The situation will change, but not in the short term. This is because the B-21 line is currently "set for a modest production rate".

The US Air Force is working on a new model called Agile Combat Employment. It involves dispersing fighters in small groups to different locations. The strategic bombers have enough range to avoid deploying them directly in front of enemy territory.

The service wants to shift the focus to strategic aircraft, but due to the inability to do so right now, it has to concentrate on maintaining the bomber fleet as much as possible. To that end, the B-52H Stratofortress will be upgraded, which after the upgrade will be designated the B-52J.

But the main target is still the B-21 Raider. The next-generation nuclear bomber was unveiled five months ago and is still awaiting its maiden flight. The plane is scheduled to take to the skies this year. The US Air Force wants to buy 100 bombers. According to preliminary data, Northrop Grumman will produce 10-12 planes annually.

The service has not ruled out that it will increase its purchases of bombers in the future. Boosting production of the B-21 will reduce the cost. So far, it is known that the planes in the first batch will cost $550 million apiece under the 2010 contract, which translates to $766 million in fiscal year 2023.

Source: Air & Space Forces Magazine