An
aircrew comprising Air Mobility Command and Air Force Reserve Command airmen from Dover AFB, Del., earlier this month flew the first all-Dover C-17 training mission, using a simulator at McGuire AFB, N.J. A Nov. 13 news release noted that the active 436th Airlift Wing and Reserve 512th AW at Dover are transitioning to the C-17 and arranged with the 305th Air Mobility Wing at McGuire to fly a McGuire C-17 and simulator to aid their training efforts. Dover doesn’t expect to receive the first of its 13 new C-17 airlifters until late next year. The aircraft will join a scaled down C-5 operation at the Delaware base. Both aircraft will be flown and maintained by active and Reserve airmen.
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.