Leon Panetta replaces Robert Gates at Secretary of Defense. Gates had led the Defense Department since December 2006, serving both President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama. Panetta previously was Director of Central Intelligence.
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.