KC-46s over NGAS? F-35s Make Moves | B-21 Raider Updates | Threat of the Day: SA-21 Growler

🔹 Check out my sponsor https://aura.com/afterburn to get a 14-day free trial and see if your personal information has been compromised🔹🔺 Grab our free newsletter for insights into aviation, defense, and geopolitics - https://bit.ly/AfterburnNewsletter 🔺 This week on The Lowdown, we break down the biggest moves in military aviation and defense: ✈️ F-16s depart Misawa Air Base as the U.S. Air Force prepares for a major F-35 deployment in Japan — a key shift in Indo-Pacific airpower. 🛩️ The B-21 Raider stealth bomber is on track for combat configuration and flight testing by 2026. We cover what that means for the B-1 and B-2 fleets. 🚛 KC-46 Pegasus production ramps up, as the Air Force shelves plans for a stealth tanker and leans on Boeing's multi-role refueled. ⚠️ Threat of the Day: SA-21 Growler (S-400) — Russia’s long-range SAM system is central to its A2/AD strategy. We break down capabilities, variants, and combat history. Also in this episode: SOCOM cuts OA-1K Skyraider II buys B-1B bombers getting a massive firepower boost E-7 Wedgetail drama on Capitol Hill AI wingmen take to the skies in Valkyrie drone tests Snapshot stories from NORAD intercepts to HH-60W VIP conversions 📩 Subscribe to The Lowdown Newsletter for the full breakdown: 👉 https://www.lowdownnews.us Have a story? Program and partnership inquiries: https://theafterburnpodcast.com/contact/ 🛫 Become a Fighter/Bomber/Cargo/Tanker/RPA Pilot 🎯 : http://bogidope.com/?bd=tappodcast 🛫 Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT) Prep with AFOQT Wingman https://afoqtwingman.com/Code: AFTERBURN for 10% off 🔺 Aviation & Defense Newsletter - https://bit.ly/AfterburnNewsletter 🔺 Become a Patron, Support the Show, & Gain Exclusive Benefits: https://www.patreon.com/c/theafterburnpodcast Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.