Now is not the time to scale back on the B-21 bomber program
By Col. Mark Gunzinger (ret.)
Apr 23, 07:00 AM
The B-21 Raider was unveiled to the public at a ceremony on Dec. 2, 2022. (U.S. Air Force)
In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin made headlines when he hedged about the ultimate size of the B-21 Raider buy, explaining that new technologies may supplant the aircraft by the late 2030s.
“I think there are other technological advancements that we would see to be able to augment [the B-21] and have a better mix … before we commit to [the B-21] as being the platform [that will serve as the backbone of the future bomber force] beyond that,” he explained.
That is a bet on a hypothetical and distant technological vision. Now is not the time to suggest the Air Force dial back on B-21 acquisition. Credible combat capacity in mass is required, given the scale of our threats in multiple regions, the unique role bombers play and the fragility of our reusable long-range strike enterprise.
Given their global range, ability to carry large payloads and unmatched stealth, B-21s will play a crucial role in missions that span the operational spectrum. In times of peace, they will deter adversaries, reassure allies and favorably shape regions that are critical to our national interests. In times of conflict, they will be able to strike large numbers of targets at sea and on land deep behind enemy lines, and serve as key information nodes as part of the Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control complex. That involves gathering data with onboard sensors, processing battlespace information at the combat edge, collaborating with other mission assets, and creating decisive non-kinetic and kinetic effects. No other weapon system can do this.
https://www.defensenews.com/opinion/2024/04/23/now-is-not-the-time-to-scale-back-on-the-b-21-bomber-program/
