How Many Bombers Does The United States Have?

From World War II through much of the Cold War era and into the modern age, the United States military leveraged a fleet of long-range bombers to weaken, destroy, or intimidate the armed forces of its perceived enemies. But just as technology has altered the workings of the modern world, so too has it changed the way wars are fought, and in the age of drone warfare and long-range smart weapons, piloted bombers are less and less the weapon of choice for the United States Air Force.

That's not to say the U.S. Air Force and other armed forces don't use bombers anymore. Quite the opposite is true, though the inventory of ready-to-fly bombers is understandably far from what it was during the heyday of the bomber. Whereas that number once ranged in the thousands, these days, the Air Force boasts a reported bomber inventory in the hundreds. A quick perusal of the Aircraft Factsheets listed on the official USAF website will tell you the branch currently has just 140 bombers on hand that are certified mission-ready.

Per recent reports, that number will grow in the coming years as the Air Force ramps up production on the long-in-development B-21 Raider. Still, even with a modest fleet of Raiders on the way, bombers are arguably no longer a top priority for the United States Armed Forces.

There are only three other models of bomber listed on the USAF site, with the B-1B Lancer, the B-2 Spirit, and the B-52H Stratofortress making up the bulk of the branch's bomber inventory, and each brings its own unique set of skills to the mix. The USAF refers to the supersonic B-1B Lancer as the "backbone" of the bomber fleet, combining speed and sleek design with the capability of carrying the heaviest payload of all the Air Force bombers. The U.S. began developing the aircraft in the 1970s to replace the B-52. It flew its first missions in the mid-1980s, reportedly owns 50 World Records for a bomber, and will likely be a part of the Air Force's arsenal for the foreseeable future.

The two-seat B-2 Spirit, of course, became an icon of the air the moment it debuted in the USAF fleet in the late 1980s, with many knowing it best by its popular nickname, the "Stealth Bomber." The craft's iconic status has only grown in the ensuing decades, with the B-2's speed and game-changing "stealth" capabilities continuing to make it a vital part of the Air Force's attack and defense plans.

The same is true for the old soldier of the fleet, the B-52H Stratofortress, a significantly upgraded model of the legendary B-52. Yes, it's bigger and slower than the other craft. But what it lacks in flash, it more than makes up for in power and payload and continues to be the craft of choice when U.S. forces want to bring the proverbial hammer down on their enemies.