Today--August 6, 2025--marks 80 years since the first nuclear weapon was used in anger, and August 9 will mark 80 years since the last one was deployed against an enemy (I expect and hope). Although the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II is tragic, the fact that we as a species have kept a nuclear taboo is worth celebrating.

Modern aerospace design and manufacturing is amazing. Dimensions and tolerances are measured in thousandths of an inch and design tools lead to ever-reducing weight for the same strength. Those designs can do amazing things: for landing gear titanium is roughly half the weight of steel for a given strength, but far more expensive. My former company was able to propose (and win) a new airliner contract by proposing a steel landing gear that weighed less than our competitor's titanium landing gear. But that optimization comes at a cost. The US Air Force currently operates three heavy bombers: The B-52 Stratofortress, entry into service 1952: The B-1B Lancer, entry into service 1986: The B-2 Spirit, entry into service 1997 Of those three aircraft types, two are being retired and replaced by the new B-21 Raider expected to enter service sometime in the late 2020s. Care to guess which one will keep flying alongside the B-21? B-52 (1952) B-1B (1986) B-2 (1997) The early 1950s B-52 wi...