The B-21 Mass Factor: Why the U.S. Air Force is Pushing for a Larger Raider Bomber Fleet

The B-21 Mass Factor: Why the U.S. Air Force is Pushing for a Larger Raider Bomber Fleet

The B-21 Raider is shifting from a "boutique" stealth asset to the primary hammer of the U.S. Air Force’s 2026 strategy, as Operation Epic Fury underscores the critical need for "mass" in penetrating contested airspace. While Russian S-400 and S-500 systems claim to track stealth, the B-21’s broadband stealth—characterized by a flatter, more integrated fuselage than its B-2 predecessor—is designed to remain invisible to both surveillance and hig…