Intelligence officers in certain Air Force Specialty Codes may be eligible for a retention bonus up to $30,000, according to an Aug. 7 release. Eligible officers have until Sept. 22 to apply for the critical skills retention bonus, which is similar to the aviator pay bonuses announced earlier this year. “We simply can’t afford to lose the experience and skills of these intelligence officers who are critical to our national security,” said Lt. Gen. Bob Otto, head of the ISR directorate on the Air Staff. Certain incentives will be targeted at key year groups and will be critical to the Air Force’s effort to size, shape, and stabilize the force, he added. Eligible officers (captains and majors from the 2004-2007 year groups) must have a 14N core Air Force Specialty Code, and must be a graduate of the 14N initial skills training course at Goodfellow AFB, Texas. Depending on grade, years of services, and option, applicants could be eligible for $12,000, $20,000, or $30,000 bonuses.
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.