Key Points and Summary – The successful “Operation Midnight Hammer” strike on Iran, where seven B-2 Spirit bombers flew from Missouri to hit nuclear targets undetected, has highlighted a critical vulnerability for the US Air Force: its small and aging stealth bomber fleet.
-With only 19 B-2s in service and their retirement planned for the early 2030s, analysts argue that the US must accelerate production of its replacement, the B-21 Raider.
-The current plan to procure just 100 B-21s at a rate of 10 per year is deemed “too little and too late” to deter rising threats from China and Russia, prompting calls to double the production rate.
B-2 Bomber in 4 Words – Retirement Is Coming Soon
When the U.S. launched Operation Midnight Hammer on Saturday, aimed at striking Iran’s nuclear facilities, they utilized the B-2 bomber, in what the Pentagon described as “the largest B-2 operational strike in U.S. history.”
Seven B-2 Spirit bombers took off from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, flying halfway around the world to Iran. Meanwhile, another group of B-2 bombers headed West as decoys.
The jets refueled in mid-air, and according to the Pentagon, more than 125 U.S. aircraft participated in the mission.
“Iran’s fighters did not fly, and it appears that Iran’s surface-to-air missile systems did not see us. Throughout the mission, we retained the element of surprise,” Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said after the mission.
However, even as the B-2 engaged in one of the most high-profile missions in its history, the jet is headed for retirement within the decade.
B-2 Stealth Bomber: Going Out in a Blaze of Glory
A 2018 report from Air and Space Forces, which cited Pentagon plans at the time, stated that the B-2 was on track to be retired in the early 2030s, to be replaced by the B-21 Raider. Before then, the plan was to keep the B-2 fleet going into the 2050s.
“The B-2 fleet, at only 20 aircraft, is considered too expensive per airplane to retain beyond the early 2030s,” the 2018 report said.
The same outlet, last December, reported that the timeline for retiring the B-1 and B-2 fleets was not quite set, “when one is established it will be based on strategic conditions and when the B-21 is available to succeed them.” That was based on an interview with Maj. Gen. Jason R. Armagost, commander of 8th Air Force.
“It’s conditions-based on how we retire platforms. And so those conditions can change day-to-day, moment-to-moment, but I think there’s a very good plan for how we on-board the new, and we will not off-board the old just on a specific date. It will be conditions-based,” Maj. Gen. Armagost said in that interview.
Meet the B-21 Raider Stealth Bomber
An op-ed published this week on RealClearDefense argued that the U.S. needs to “double the production rate” of the new B-21 Raider stealth bomber.
Robert Peters and Shawn Barnes describe the jet as “a technological marvel many years in the making. It builds on decades of stealth technology and provides vital long-range, deep-strike capability necessary to deter adversaries for the next several decades.”
The problem? Not as many of them are being produced quickly enough.
While it’s not known exactly what’s going on with the production, it’s known that the Air Force has a goal of 100 of the aircraft, and plans to procure ten a year.
“At best, the nation is unlikely to have even 100 aircraft until the late 2030s. This is both too little and too late,” the authors argue.
What can be done to up production?
The authors argue that the Pentagon should up the production rate to 20 a year from 10, and add a second production facility.
“Deterring China from aggression is a long-term strategy that requires action today. Deterrence cannot be achieved without credible, survivable, and sufficient long-range conventional strike capability,” the authors argue, adding that the late 2030s is too long to wait for that capability.
Cost vs. Performance
Some past bomber and fighter programs, including the B-2, have fallen victim to having their orders curtailed by budgetary constraints. And building more of the jets will allow the U.S. to sell them to other countries.
“China has ambitions of global hegemony; Russia is increasingly fixated on recreating their once-dominant Soviet power; Iran and North Korea show few signs of comity,” the authors argue. “The foundation to address 21st century challenges is sufficient force structure. A second production plant will allow the US to build, field, and operate the inventory that it needs and on a timeline that respects these threats.”
About the Author:
Stephen Silver is an award-winning journalist, essayist and film critic, and contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Broad Street Review and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. For over a decade, Stephen has authored thousands of articles that focus on politics, technology, and the economy. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @StephenSilver, and subscribe to his Substack newsletter.
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