The Air Force is expanding its testing of alternative fuels to airlifters, as we noted earlier this year. The service successfully tested the use of a 50-50 synthetic fuel with a B-52 bomber and now, reports The Olympian, it will begin next month testing synfuel with a single C-17 transport at McChord AFB, Wash. (Read more in our article “The Fuel War.”)
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.