Pentagon unveils new initiative to address drone concerns, autonomous warfare
Bill Hemmer spoke with John Spencer, executive director of the Urban Warfare Institute, about the Pentagon’s push to tighten oversight of military drones and autonomous systems. Spencer said the United States must stay at the forefront of drone development, pointing to battlefield lessons from the war in Ukraine and the large research-and-development funding request tied to the effort.
The Air Force says its next-generation B-21 Raider stealth bomber is moving faster than planned, with the first operational aircraft now expected to reach Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota in 2027.
The service’s sixth-generation F-47 fighter program is also advancing ahead of expectations, according to Gen. Dale White, director of Critical Major Weapon Systems. White discussed the status of both aircraft during the Air Force’s Life Cycle Industry Days conference in Dayton, Ohio.
White said the B-21 acquisition effort has sped up by about 25% after receiving a one-time $4.5 billion funding increase through the 2025 reconciliation bill.
His remarks offered one of the most detailed public snapshots to date of the Air Force’s two marquee next-generation aircraft programs.
A B-21 takes flight near Edwards Air Force Base in September 2025. (Air Force)
The update follows the Air Force’s announcement months earlier that a second B-21 Raider had joined flight testing at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Officials said at the time that adding another aircraft would help speed testing and weapons integration for America’s first new long-range bomber in more than 30 years.
White said the first operational B-21 is expected to be “on the ramp” at Ellsworth in 2027. Northrop Grumman ultimately plans to produce seven operational bombers per year, while the Pentagon has requested $6.1 billion for the B-21 program in its fiscal year 2027 budget proposal.
Built by Northrop Grumman, the B-21 is designed to carry both conventional and nuclear weapons while penetrating advanced enemy air defenses. The aircraft is expected to eventually replace the B-1 Lancer and B-2 Spirit while operating alongside modernized B-52 Stratofortress bombers expected to remain in service into the middle of the century. The Air Force plans to acquire at least 100 B-21 bombers.
White also said planning for the Boeing-built F-47 has reached an “unprecedented maturity.”
The crew at a test flight of a B-21. (Air Force)
The Air Force plans to acquire 185 F-47 fighters, with the first flight scheduled for 2028. The aircraft will replace the F-22 Raptor as the service’s primary air superiority fighter and is expected to operate alongside Collaborative Combat Aircraft, autonomous “loyal wingman” drones designed to support crewed aircraft in combat. The Pentagon has requested $5.03 billion for the F-47 program in its fiscal year 2027 budget request.
The B-21 Raider goes through testing at Edwards Air Force Base in California. (Defense Visual Information Distribution Service)
News Outlet has reached out to the Air Force, Northrop Grumman and Boeing for comment.
