Though achieving 65 combat air patrols of MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft was a worthy goal during the height of the Afghanistan war, Air Combat Command boss Gen. Mike Hostage said he wants out of the commitment. During a meeting with reporters on Sept. 17 at AFA’s 2013 Air and Space Conference, Hostage said he’s “trying to convince” the Pentagon leadership that “65 CAPs is not the force structure we need or can afford.” In an anti-access, area-denial environment, either airplane is “useless,” said Hostage, because they would be shot down promptly.
More than 100 B-21s will be needed if the nation is to avoid creating a high demand/low capacity capability, panelists said on a Hudson Institute webinar. The B-21's flexibility, stealth, range and payload will be in high demand for a wide range of missions, both traditional and new.