Gen. Stephen Wilson on July 22 received his fourth star and was promoted to be the Air Force’s 39th vice chief during a ceremony at Offutt AFB, Neb. Wilson previously served as deputy commander of US Strategic Command and before that as commander of Air Force Global Strike Commander. He is a command pilot with more than 4,500 flying hours in aircraft such as the B-1 and B-52, including 680 combat hours. “We are truly going to try … and be great representatives of our airmen and their families and all our joint service partners as we help the Chief lead our Air Force in the 21st Century,” Wilson said at the ceremony, according to an Air Force release.
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.