Among the attributes of the Air Force’s future Long-Range Strike Bomber will be its ability to reach out and operate in contested maritime environments, retired Lt. Gen. Bob Elder, former 8th Air Force commander, told AFA’s Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando on Thursday. That capability will, in turn, support homeland defense, he said during the panel discussion on LRS in contested environments. In broader terms, LRS-B will provide the nation with “a truly global-shaping, influence, and operational-effects capability that is unmatched by anything else,” said Elder. It will give the President a tool of military and diplomatic power, encourage adversary restraint, and enable other air platforms and the entire joint force to be more effective, he said. For those thinking that stealth technology has been overtaken by potential adversaries’ advances, Elder said “not all stealth is equal.” He added, “all-aspect stealth makes a big difference.”
Air Force Munitions Gets Big Boost from Reconciliation
June 28, 2025
Thanks to reconciliation, the fiscal 2026 Air Force budget would get a surge of munitions procurement, but it's not yet clear if the production increase will be sustained. The Air Force revealed the secret AIM-260 air-to-air missile's funding for the first time.