US Air Force set to expand bomber fleet to 220, with focus on B-21 Raiders

Air Force General Anthony J. Cotton, the commander of US Strategic Command (STRATCOM), has expressed his desire for the US Air Force to expand its bomber fleet to 220 aircraft, including a significant increase in the number of B-21 Raider stealth bombers.

Currently, the Air Force plans to procure 100 B-21s, but Cotton’s proposal suggests increasing that figure to 140 bombers, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

The US Air Force is already home to the world’s largest and most advanced strategic bomber fleet. However, as part of its ongoing modernization efforts, the Air Force plans to retire some older bomber models while adding newer, advanced ones to its inventory. Cotton’s vision includes bolstering the fleet with 145 B-21 Raiders, along with maintaining 76 B-52 Stratofortresses, ensuring a balance of stealth and conventional options.

Cotton believes that a 220-aircraft fleet would be critical to address growing global threats, both from near-peer adversaries and other potential sources of conflict. At present, the Air Force operates about 140 strategic bombers, including the B-1 Lancer, B-2 Spirit, and B-52 Stratofortress. Plans are already in place to phase out the B-1 Lancer and B-2 Spirit bombers as the B-21 Raiders enter service, with 64 bombers of these two models currently in operation. In addition to the B-21s, the Air Force intends to continue operating the B-52 Stratofortress, which has been in service since the 1950s. 

These bombers will undergo significant upgrades, including the "J" model, to ensure they remain capable of supporting operations well into the 21st century. With the addition of 145 B-21 Raiders and 76 B-52 Stratofortresses, the Air Force would see an increase of 80 strategic bombers, achieving the balanced and modern fleet Cotton envisions. General Cotton has previously advocated for increasing the number of B-21 Raiders. Last year, he shared similar sentiments with Congress, though he did not provide a specific number. 

His latest remarks may prompt the Pentagon and lawmakers to approve the procurement of additional B-21 bombers, but the final decision will hinge on production costs and the overall budget. Speaking at the McAleese and Associates annual Defense Programs Conference, Cotton expressed his desire for Northrop Grumman to speed up production of the B-21 Raider. The company’s current production rate is limited to around 21 aircraft across five production lots, which is insufficient to meet the Air Force’s target of 145 or even 100 bombers. 

While Cotton pushes for faster production, both the Air Force and Congress remain wary of potential cost overruns. A key lesson from the 1990s, when the Air Force originally planned to purchase over 100 B-2 Spirits but ultimately scaled the order back to just 21 due to the end of the Cold War, serves as a cautionary tale. This drastic reduction led to each B-2 costing nearly $2 billion. The Air Force aims to avoid a similar scenario with the B-21 Raider’s production, making careful cost management a critical factor in the aircraft’s future procurement.

By Naila Huseynova