What the Air Force plans to do with its B-1 Lancers as stealthy new B-21s arrive

The Air Force plans to upgrade the B-1 bomber while simultaneously preparing the aircraft for eventual retirement as the service’s new B-21 stealth bomber arrives in coming years.

These two trajectories, which appear as somewhat of a paradox or contradiction, are actually interwoven efforts designed to both maximize the bomber’s firepower while easing an eventual transition to the emerging B-21 bomber.

The B-21 is expected to emerge by the mid-2020s, so while the Air Force has not specified a timetable, the B-1 is not likely to be fully retired until the 2030s.

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