The Air Force's departing top officer reflects on unveiling a new bomber and surviving being shot down

US Air National Guard/Staff Sgt. Angel Oquendo

• Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein is set to retire on August 6.
• Goldfein, a career fighter pilot who was shot down in 1999, has pursued a number of initiatives as the Air Force's top officer, from building a more inclusive service to ensuring bomber forces stay ready.
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Since revealing the next-generation bomber's name and teasing mock-up images four years ago, the Air Force has tried to strike a balance between talking openly about the B-21 Raider acquisition effort — the Pentagon's biggest since the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program kicked off in the 1990s — and guarding details of its advanced technology.

The future stealth bomber's design and early development have hit planned milestones, defense officials have said. But the project remains under a veil of secrecy as the Pentagon pursues its strategy to take on more formidable foes, such as Russia and China.See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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