Airmen from the Pennsylvania Air National Guard’s 171st Air Refueling Wing in Pittsburgh are fueling the war on terror fight from their home station and from Incirlik AB, Turkey. The unit has been flying out of Pittsburgh to provide aerial refueling for C-17s as they head overseas since 2003, reports TSgt. Brian Jones. Now, a contingent of 171st airmen deployed to Incirlik are picking up some of the same aircraft to refuel them on the next leg of their journey. “We’re working both sides of the Atlantic,” said Lt. Col. Don Accamando, deployed mission support commander.
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.