The last US combat personnel serving in Iraq departed that nation on Dec. 18, 2011, ending the phased withdrawal of US forces after a war and subsequent stability operation that began there in March 2003. See our coverage of the event: Last Troops out of Iraq and Last US Military Flight Leaves Iraq. (See also: The Last Days in Iraq from Air Force Magazine’s March 2012 issue.)
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.
