Two F-16Cs assigned to the District of Columbia Air National Guard’s 113th Wing collided mid-air around 11 p.m. on Aug. 1 during a routine training mission off the coast of Chincoteague, Va.. The Coast Guard recovered one pilot who safely ejected from his aircraft. The other aircraft was able to return to JB Andrews, Md. Both pilots were transferred to an Andrews medical facility—one was released and the other has since been moved to an offsite medical facility for minor injuries, states the Aug. 2 release. The cause of the mishap remains under investigation.
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.