A major US general has urged that the next-generation B-21 Raider fighter be produced more quickly and effectively in order to compete with China’s fast airpower advancements and respond to rapidly changing threats. However, an expanding fast weapons squalor may be affecting China’s air power harmony.
This month, FlightGlobal reported that US Air Force General Thomas Bussiere, captain of the International Strike Command, has called for a readjustment of the planned ship dimension of Northrop Grumman-made B-21 Raider planes.
Bussiere emphasized the crucial part of the B-21, which is scheduled to take the place of the aging Boeing B-1B and Northrop B-2 aircraft, during a speech at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. The B-21 was hailed as” the most exquisite weapons program ever constructed,” according to Bussiere. It is now undergoing journey testing, and a mid-2020s start should be expected.
Bussiere suggests that the USAF’s existing program is to purchase 100 B-21s in order to meet the demands of evolving political issues. He cited the USAF’s bomb fleet’s high demand for fight operations and proper deterrence, which includes the upgraded B-52J.
Bussiere also made an observation that earlier assessments suggested 220 aircraft were necessary, and that these estimates may need to be updated in light of the state of the security situation right now.
However, due to B-21 production difficulties, the designed number of next-generation aircraft have been scaled down, making it necessary for the US to maintain older bombers in service for longer than originally planned.
In spite of difficulties in B-21 output, the US Air Force upgraded its B-2 Spirit cunning planes with cutting-edge program in July 2024, according to Asia Times.
The new open missions systems ( OMS ) software, developed in collaboration with the Air Force Global Strike Command and the B-2 Systems Program Office, significantly shortens the time between updating and two years, allowing for more quickly the integration of new weapons and ongoing improvements.
The upgrade, known as Spirit Realm 1 ( SR 1 ), includes better displays, flight hardware and survivability enhancements to keep the B-2 relevant until the B-21 becomes operational.
The B-2 ship, now numbering 19 plane, remains the US Air Force’s even piercing bomb until the B-21 reaches first functional capability. The B-2’s modernization includes the deployment of the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range ( JASSM-ER ), enhancing the plane’s strike capabilities.
The US Air Force is considerably upgrading its B-52 bomber fleet, according to an article in Asia Times from June 2024, making the Warm War-era aircraft a cutting-edge warplane capable of retaliating against near-peer threats, especially from China.
The upgrades include enhanced engines, a digital cockpit, active electronically scanned array ( AESA ) radar, modernized avionics, enhanced pylons, electronic warfare capabilities and state-of-the-art weapon systems.
Designated for the B-52J type, the modifications aim to prolong the plane’s support life into the 2050s, operating alongside the B-21. The new motors, good Rolls-Royce F130s, claim cost savings, increased trip time and reduced reform needs.
The AN/APG-79 sensor may increase situational awareness and electronic war capabilities, while fresh communication suites will allow networked battle integration. The B-52J will also be armed with fast arms and other sophisticated weapons, drastically boosting its attack skills.
Despite these improvements, the B-52J eyes delays. Preliminary operational capacity is now anticipated in 2033 as a result of financing shortfalls and price increases in the sensor modernization program.
China is continuously improving its fighter force at the same time. In its 2023 China Military Power Report, the US Department of Defense ( DOD ) notes China’s bomber modernization has shifted from aging Soviet-era designs to a potent, multi-role strike capability.
According to the report, China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force ( PLAAF ) has significantly upgraded its H-6 bomber fleet, which is based on the Soviet Tu-16.
Standoff ammunition and more effective turbofan engines have been added to new variations, such as the H-6K, making it possible to strike from the Second Island Chain, a chain of islands that extends from Japan through Guam and Palau to West Papua, Indonesia.
The 2023 China Military Power Report says the maritime-focused H-6J can have six YJ-12 anti-ship boat missiles, giving it a powerful anti-ship position.
However, it notes that the most significant development is the H-6N, a nuclear-capable, air-to-air refuellable bomb capable of carrying air-launched ballistic missiles ( ALBMs), which perhaps have agile rehabilitation vehicles and revives the flying leg of China’s nuclear triad with precision strike capability against possible Indo-Pacific targets.
In addition to the H-6 and its variants, the PLAAF is looking into a next-generation H-20 stealth fighter, according to the report. It mentions that Chinese state media speculates that it will play both regular and nuclear roles, expanding China’s electricity projection far beyond its borders.
But, a new fighter potential difference may be emerging between the US and China. The emerging bomb difference is related to fast weapons features, in contrast to the Cold War bomb space, which focused on a perceived lack of US bombers against the Soviet Union.
An April 2023 RAND report that while the US has an overmatch in aviation capabilities, it does not have a clear lead in hypersonic strike capabilities. According to the report, the country’s dependence on bomber and fighter air-to-ground weapons for long-range strikes and its projected firepower globally may contribute to this capability gap.
Asia Times reported in October 2024 that the US Air Force’s hypersonic missile program, specifically the AGM-183 Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon ( ARRW), is at a critical juncture. Despite previous claims of its cancellation due to poor test results, it is now receiving new funding.
The US Air Force recently awarded Lockheed Martin an additional$ 13.4 million for the ARRW, raising the contract’s total value to over$ 1.3 billion. This funding could either signal the end of the ARRW or the resumption of a related follow-on program, the Tactical Boost Glide ( TBG).
The ARRW, a hypersonic boost-glide vehicle ( HGV ), is designed to counter heavily defended, high-value targets but has faced repeated testing failures, leading to delays and budget cuts. In the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, the US Senate and House of Representatives requested$ 150 million for its continued development.
Despite these setbacks, the program continues with planned flight tests, driven by rising concerns over China’s hypersonic capabilities. The US Air Force is also looking into the possibility of developing more affordable and adaptable solutions for air-breathing hypersonic weapons, such as the Hypersonic Air-Breathing Weapon Concept ( HAWC), which have not yet been proven.