The ability to refuel in-flight is fundamental to the B-21’s role in projecting power globally, assuring allies and partners, and providing combatant commanders with flexible options to deliver decisive effects anywhere in the world.
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The program’s progress exemplifies the principles of the Department of the Air Force’s transformed acquisition approach, which is focused on delivering integrated warfighting capability at speed.
This operational flexibility is further enhanced by the aircraft’s design. As the most fuel-efficient bomber ever built, the B-21 consumes a fraction of the fuel used by legacy aircraft. This significantly reduces demand for theater tanker logistics and provides commanders with greater flexibility in force packaging.
B-21 has been designed for the high-end threat environment and will deliver a mix of conventional and nuclear munitions, serving as a visible and flexible component of the nuclear triad. Its open systems architecture allows for rapid integration of future capabilities, ensuring the platform remains adaptable and dominant as the threat environment evolves.
“The B-21’s fuel efficiency is one of the core components of its lethality” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach. “This long-range strike bomber will reduce the demand on our tanker fleet and free up assets to support the joint force. This will provide a wider range of employment options and the deterrence our nation requires.”
“The B-21 program is the leading edge of the acquisition mindset we are instilling across the force. Every test proves the success of empowering our leaders to deliver integrated capability from the start,” said Gen. Dale White, Department of War direct reporting portfolio manager for critical major weapon systems. “The program’s use of digital engineering and modern production processes is delivering a mature, highly capable system, giving us confidence as we continue to smartly scale our production capacity at the speed of relevance.”