Flying more than 11,000 nautical miles on a 24-hour mission from Andersen AB, Guam, three B-2 stealth bombers last month precisely delivered their payloads on an Alaskan training range engulfed in smoke from forest fires—the fires were not part of the mission. The B-2s were in Guam on what has become a routine rotation for stateside bombers to bolster US forces in the Pacific region. The Global Power mission concluded the 120-day rotation for four B-2s and more than 240 airmen from Whiteman AFB, Mo. While at Andersen, the Whiteman team flew more than 100 combat missions.
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.