According to the defense authorization act of fiscal year 2022, the United States will require the air force to suspend the retirement of B-1B "Lancer" bombers until b-21 "Raiders" replace them, defense news reported on the 11th. Zhang Xuefeng, a Chinese military expert, said that strategic bombers are an important asset for the United States to compete with big countries and deal with "high-end rivals". This Congress's request to suspend the retirement of the B-1B is an important weathervane. Data map. Source Vision China Defense News reported that as part of the defense authorization act in fiscal year 2022, the US Air Force will not be allowed to further reduce the B-1 bomber fleet unless the deployment of b-21 has begun. The ban will continue until the end of September 2023. It is reported that Northrop Grumman has begun to build five b-21, which is expected to be put into use in the mid-1920s, which means that the B-1B fleet will maintain the current level of 45 in the short term. The defense authorization act in the new fiscal year will also prevent the U.S. air force from reducing the number of personnel driving or maintaining the B-1B. According to defense news, the US Air Force retired 17 of its oldest and most dilapidated "Lancers" this year so that maintenance personnel can focus on keeping the remaining 45 bombers in operation. Zhang Xuefeng, a Chinese military expert, told the global times that the United States would stop the retirement of the B-1B, indicating that sufficient funds had been arranged for the bomber force in the new fiscal year. Strategic bombers are important military assets for the United States to compete with big powers. This stems from the effective combination of strike power, mobility, range and economy. According to the report of the Mitchell Institute of the United States, the long-range strike capability of B-2 bombers to the ground exceeds that of Burke class destroyers by 43%. A B-1B bomber equipped with long-range anti-ship missiles can launch a salvo equivalent to a destroyer or a submarine. Two B-1B bombers can carry out salvo fire equivalent to the size of the whole aircraft carrier aircraft wing. B-1B bombers can strike sea targets in the Western Pacific within 13 hours after taking off at home. Bombers deployed in Hawaii can hit targets in the Western Pacific in less than 9 hours, and only one aerial refueling is required for each flight. Bombers deployed in Australia can reach the Western Pacific in six hours without air refueling. Due to its high speed, the bomber provides a rapid re strike capability, which can return to the base in a few hours, reload and strike again. In contrast, submarines or surface ships that have consumed ammunition will take longer to return to the base for ammunition replenishment and then return to the operational area. Even if the US Navy finds a way to load in the theater without returning to the port, the "number of salvos" of land-based bombers per week will still greatly exceed the number of launches of surface ships and submarines. (outlook new era)