Joint Staff Operations Director Lt. Gen. William Mayville on Tuesday laid out the tasks ahead for the newly created coalition fighting ISIS extremists, also known as ISIL, in Syria and Iraq. “Last night’s strikes are the beginning of a credible and sustainable, persistent campaign to degrade and destroy ISIL. Our immediate tasks are to: continue the degradation of ISIL in Syria and Iraq; to build and strengthen regional partners and to build a regional coalition; to assist in putting Iraqi security forces and the Peshmerga on the offensive; to support the broader diplomatic efforts in the region; to implement a Syrian ‘train and equip’ program; and to continue to work with Iraq security forces and ministries.”
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.