Over international waters 80 miles off the Chinese coast, two Chinese fighters intercept a U.S. Navy EP-3 surveillance aircraft. One of the fighters collides with the EP-3 and the fighter pilot is lost at sea. The EP-3 is forced to land on Hainan, where its 24 member crew, including one USAF Airmen, is held for 12 days.
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.
