A top US general has advocated for faster and greater production of the next-generation B-21 Raider bomber, a call to match China’s rapid airpower advancements and respond to fast-evolving threats. But an emerging hypersonic weapons gap may be shifting Asia’s airpower balance in China’s favor.
This month, FlightGlobal reported that US Air Force General Thomas Bussiere, commander of the Global Strike Command, has called for a reassessment of the planned fleet size of Northrop Grumman-made B-21 Raider bombers.
Speaking at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, Bussiere emphasized the critical role of the B-21 scheduled to replace the aging Boeing B-1B and Northrop B-2 bombers. Bussiere described the B-21 as “the most exquisite weapons system ever built.” It is currently undergoing flight testing, with initial operational deployment expected in the mid-2020s.
The USAF’s current plan is to acquire 100 B-21s, but Bussiere suggests that this number may need to be increased to meet the demands of modern warfare and rising geopolitical challenges. He highlighted strong demand for the USAF’s bomber fleet, which includes the upgraded B-52J, noting their frequent deployment for combat operations and strategic deterrence.
Bussiere also pointed out that previous assessments indicated a need for 220 bombers, which may require revision in light of current security dynamics.
However, B-21 production challenges have resulted in a scaling down of the planned numbers of next-generation bombers, forcing the US to keep older bombers in service longer than originally scheduled.
In July 2024, Asia Times reported that the US Air Force had upgraded its B-2 Spirit stealth bombers with advanced software, enhancing their combat readiness amid delays in B-21 production.
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 reduces update times from two years to less than three months, allowing for quicker integration of new weapons and continuous 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 fleet, now numbering 19 aircraft, remains the US Air Force’s only penetrating bomber until the B-21 reaches initial operational 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.
Asia Times reported in June 2024 that the US Air Force is significantly upgrading its B-52 bomber fleet, transforming the Cold War-era aircraft into a modern warplane capable of countering near-peer threats, particularly 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 model, the upgrades aim to extend the aircraft’s service life into the 2050s, operating alongside the B-21. The new engines, likely Rolls-Royce F130s, promise cost savings, increased flight time and reduced overhaul needs.
The AN/APG-79 radar will enhance situational awareness and electronic warfare capabilities, while new communication suites will enable networked battlefield integration. The B-52J will also be armed with hypersonic weapons and other advanced munitions, significantly boosting its strike capabilities.
Despite these advancements, the B-52J faces delays. Due to funding shortfalls and cost increases in the radar modernization program, initial operational capability is now expected in 2033.
At the same time, China is steadily progressing in modernizing its bomber force. 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.
Recent variants, like the H-6K, incorporate standoff weaponry and more efficient turbofan engines, enabling strikes from mainland China to the Second Island Chain, a series of islands that stretches from Japan through Guam and Palau to West Papua, Indonesia.
The 2023 China Military Power Report says the maritime-focused H-6J can carry six YJ-12 anti-ship cruise missiles, giving it a potent anti-ship role.
However, it notes that the most notable development is the H-6N, a nuclear-capable, air-to-air refuellable bomber capable of carrying air-launched ballistic missiles (ALBMs), which may feature maneuverable reentry vehicles and revives the airborne leg of China’s nuclear triad with precision strike capability against potential Indo-Pacific targets.
The report states that the PLAAF is also pursuing a next-generation H-20 stealth bomber in addition to the H-6 and its variants. It notes that Chinese state media suggests it will have both nuclear and conventional roles, extending China’s power projection well beyond its borders.
However, a new bomber capability gap may be emerging between the US and China. Unlike the Cold War-era bomber gap that focused on a perceived shortfall of US bombers against the Soviet Union, the emerging bomber gap relates to hypersonic weapon capabilities.
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. The report says this capability gap may be compounded by the fact that it relies on bomber and fighter air-to-ground weapons for long-range strike capability and its global projection of firepower.
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. It is receiving new funding despite previous indications of its cancellation due to poor test results.
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 winding down of the ARRW or the acceleration 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. The US Senate and House of Representatives eliminated $150 million requested for its continued development in the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act.
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 exploring air-breathing hypersonic weapons, such as the Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC), which may offer more cost-effective and versatile solutions but have yet to be proven.
Who has more industrial capacity, and who controls the rare earth materials? Not US. Don’t start a fight you can’t finish.
China builds, USA destroys. USA exports trash culture, dollar inflation and bombs to the world. People do not eat bombs. People do not want war. Only Americans and Zionists find themselves always having to defend themselves in other people’s countries. And they keep asking themselves why. Entire think tanks and multi million dollar investigations still cannot figure it out.
China’s really building in Burma – enemies. Just like the attacks in Pak, the Chinese Empire is built on exploitation.
Go back to your capon hut.
‘Bussiere described the B-21 as “the most exquisite weapons system ever built.”’
Which translates as gimme a well paid sinecure with a defence contractor when I retire.
‘Bussiere suggests that this number may need to be increased to meet the demands of modern warfare and rising geopolitical challenges’,—read the B21 contractor needs more money to pay a larger dividend or share buyback.
No doubt the B21 will be the wunderwaffen of the millennium