Virginia Republican John Warner has the Pentagon squarely on his side in the fight to keep NAS Oceana off the base closure list. The senator on Thursday released a letter signed by Acting Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England that reasserts the Pentagon position: There is “no viable alternative.” It was not on the Pentagon’s BRAC list; it was added for consideration by the BRAC commission. Our bet is still on Warner.
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.