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Think tank urges USAF to acquire 500 next‑generation fighters and bombers, double B‑21 buys

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A Mitchell Institute report urges the U.S. Air Force to acquire 500 next‑generation fighters and stealth bombers to deter China, calling for a major ramp‑up in F‑47 buys and doubling the planned B‑21 fleet. It rejects “divest to invest” and warns current plans yield only a limited “raid force.”

Discovered 2026-02-09T11:09:19.698012-08:00 | 2026-02-09T11:09:19.698012-08:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • The report’s call for 500 advanced aircraft and a doubled B‑21 buy would materially reshape USAF force structure and production demand; see recent B‑21 test progress and industry signals on possible fleet growth (B‑21 testing, Northrop comment on B‑21 growth).

  • The authors’ "no more divest to invest" stance reframes procurement trade‑offs and increases pressure on budgets and congressional choices; lawmakers have already adjusted buys for next‑gen fighters in recent spending talks (FY‑26 defense compromise).

  • The recommendations are explicitly aimed at countering China’s expanding capabilities, underscoring urgency for investments in stealth, long‑range strike and sixth‑generation fighters (DoD on China buildup).

Reported By

aereo.jor.br defence-industry.eu Aviation A2Z news.ssbcrack.com aerospaceglobalnews.com Business Insider
Sources Tracked
21
First Seen
2026-02-09T11:09:19.698012-08:00
Latest Update
2026-02-14T14:13:28.113852-08:00
Coverage
Defense

Sources

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