USAF Confirms New B-21 Bomber for Possible Major Air-To-Air Combat Role

<![CDATA[In the history of American aerial warfare, the only real air-to-air role our bombers have played was defensive. For example, World War II in Europe saw flights of hundreds of B-17 and B-24 bombers over Germany and occupied Europe, each festooned with as many as 13 .50 caliber machine guns for defense, forcing German fighters to fly through a hailstorm of thumb-sized slugs to attack their targets.]]>