The 104th Fighter Wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard on Monday began its air sovereignty alert mission, sitting on 24-hour alert with its new force of F-15 fighters. The unit, based at Barnes Municipal Airport, switched from the A-10 to the F-15, courtesy of BRAC 2005. The 104th FW replaces the Vermont ANG’s 158th FW, which has flown ASA missions since late 2007. Previously, another Massachusetts Air Guard unit—the 102nd FW at Otis ANGB—had the ASA mission for the northeast sector, but it has switched to an intelligence mission. (Also read, The Republican report; Associated Press report, via Boston Herald)
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.