The Missouri Air National Guard’s 131st Bomb Wing (formerly the 131st Fighter Wing) flies the wing’s first solo B-2 bomber sortie since taking on the new mission. The Air Force decided in 2006 to pair the ANG unit with the active duty 509th BW at Whiteman AFB, Mo., after BRAC 2005 stripped the wing of its F-15 fighters. The 131st BW is the first ANG unit to fly bombers since 2001, when USAF reorganized its B-1B bomber, eliminating two ANG wings.
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.
