At present, only the upcoming Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider has an active assembly line of all the American heavy bombers, expected to make about seven stealth flying wings a year. The Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) patrols high above the world’s conflict zones.
The United States Air Force relies on AFGSC to maintain constant vigilance and readiness. Prepared to strike, or not strike, anywhere in the world thanks to the massive B-52 Stratofortress, supersonic B-1 Lancer, and stealth B-2 Spirit. Perhaps surprisingly, none of these legacy platforms are in production today.
Only One Model Is Currently Under Assembly
Photo: USAF
The upcoming B-21 Raider is the only American bomber that currently has an assembly line up and running. While the debut of the B-21 promises deeper penetration and higher survivability against tomorrow’s air defenses, upgraded B-52s, B-1B, and B-2s will still serve for decades to come. USAF Major General Jason Armagost, 8th Air Force and Joint-Global Strike Operations Center commander, commented on the 2024 deployments by squadrons of the AFGSC:
“On any given day, we’re actively engaged through bomber task force missions. In fact, about 60 percent of the year we are deployed to a theater or providing continental US (CONUS) -to-CONUS flights in support of theaters or in support of US Strategic Command and the Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff.”
Manned bombers provide a level of versatility that no missiles or drones can equal, and they have the soft power to change a situation simply through a force demonstration. That is, of course, thanks to the awesome firepower they wield when duty calls.
The B-2 Spirit: Production Complete
Photo: US Air Force
The USAF is the sole operator of the first fifth-generation heavy bomber ever made: the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit. The flying wing remains shrouded in secrecy because of the long list of revolutionary technologies that were invented during its development, and the official USAF webpage lists just 21 Spirits delivered before the factory line shut down in 1997.
Following one crash in Guam and another being written off after a mishap at Whiteman Air Force Base (AFB), a total of 19 remain in service today. As the bombers have to undergo depot maintenance, the available number drops again. The production was famously cut short when the Soviet Union collapsed and the Cold War came to an abrupt end.
The short production run raised the price tag of each one of the incredible jets to balloon to astronomical amounts in excess of $1 billion by 1998. In the global landscape of air warfare in 2025, potential competitors are emerging from near-peer rivals, yet the B-2 Spirit remains an unequaled force of striking power that can reach any corner of the globe with impunity.
The B-1 Lancer: Production Complete
Photo: US Air Force
The final B-1 was delivered in 1988, and, upon its debut, the type claimed almost 50 world records for speed, payload, range, and time of climb in its class according to the USAF. The National Aeronautic Association recognized the B-1 for achieving one of the 10 most distinguished record flights in 1994, with the most recent record made official in 2004. The B-1’s afterburning turbofan engines, swing-wing design, and blended wing-body configuration increase its survivability.
These aspects also provide the aircraft with tremendous speed, agility, and extended range. When taking off, landing, aerial refueling, and in some situations involving the use of high-altitude weaponry, the wings are oriented forward. Colonel Glenn Spears, 28th Operations Group commander at Ellsworth AFB, explained that crew training emphasizes “defensive maneuvers and advanced handling of the aircraft,” which is not limited to low-level flight:
“The B-1B wings train our crews to use the full safe envelope of the aircraft’s capabilities. There’s no doubt that it’s a bomber, but it’s a very maneuverable bomber. If we simulate that a threat has come up, (…) we practice evading the threat and altering the route.”
Photo: US Air Force
Spears adds that, if there’s no path to “safely get my package out,” the B-1B will skip its target, and he’ll “survive to fight another day.” The B-1’s basic combat design, which has its wings swept forward, gives it exceptional mobility at low and high altitudes, making it perfect for high-subsonic and supersonic flight. Its quick handling and responsiveness make it easy to incorporate into varied striking packages.
The B-1’s large payload, sophisticated radar targeting, long loiter time, and robust battlefield survivability make it an essential component of any joint or composite strike force. During Operation Allied Force in 1999, six B-1s delivered 20% of the ammunition but flew 2% of the bombing missions. Similarly, the B-1 dropped 40% of the precision weapons and conducted 2% of missions during Operation Enduring Freedom.
The B-52 Stratofortress: Production Complete
Photo: US Air Force
The B-52 has seen action in more conflicts and campaigns than any other aircraft ever built, according to the Imperial War Museum. It served as a Cold War deterrent against the threat of Soviet nuclear arms, and as a low-level strike platform in Vietnam before going on to drop over 40% of all air-launched coalition munitions in Operation Desert Storm. The official USAF webpage for the Boeing B-52H Stratofortress lists 85 active airframes still in USAF inventory of the 744 that were built.
Of those 85 gigantic jet bombers, 58 are considered operational while around 10 are in depot-level maintenance at any given time, and more are in a condition of deep storage for worst-case scenarios. The mothballed but not scrapped aircraft are retained to surge the active force if a large-scale conflict were to break out and demand additional heavy bombers to be made in a short time. From 1954 to 1962, Boeing plants in Washington and Kansas crafted 744 of the B-52 series.
Arguably the two most iconic variants are the -D model of the Vietnam era and the -H that continues to fly today. The -H models are set to undergo major powerplant overhauls and system modernization to upgrade them to a new level of efficiency and capability, dubbed the -J variant. The new engines from Rolls-Royce are expected to revitalize the Stratofortress to continue service into the 2050s.
Photo: US Air Force
According to the AFGSC, the BUFF(‘Big Ugly Fat Fellow’) played a major role in the opening salvo of Operation Desert Storm by launching over 100 AGM-86C conventional air-launched cruise missiles in 2003. Now, the entire force is split between the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot AFB, North Dakota, and the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, which fall under the AFGSC’s remit.
The Rolls-Royce F130 has cleared its critical design review, meaning it can enter final development, test, and production on time, as the Air & Space Forces magazine announced in December 2024. Although there may not be any more B-52s in the pipeline, the ones still in action will be better than ever after the latest series of upgrades.
The B-21 Raider: Production Upcoming
Photo: US Air Force
The B-21 Raider is a much-acclaimed and long-awaited successor to the B-2 Spirit, and both are products of Northrop Grumman. Air & Space Forces Magazine reports that production is ramping up, with Northrop Grumman having potentially 40 of the new stealth bombers in various states of assembly. In the 2026 fiscal year, the Air Force and Congress have proposed spending $10.3 billion on the B-21 bomber, which the military recognized will support both greater production capacity.
Based on a purchase of 100 aircraft, previous estimates have shown that B-21 deliveries might be completed by the mid-to-late 2030s. About seven are expected annually as a result of the order quantity and schedule, as it is known now. Additional B-21s may be ordered if the B-52J program is delayed or hindered. Chief of Staff General David W. Allvin was quoted by Air & Space Forces Magazine as saying in May:
“[I will] take all I can get with the funding. The 100 minimum is certainly something we can stand behind. When we look at what the maximum is, I really want to look at the risk over time, and opportunities over time.”
The B-21 In A Nutshell
Photo: US Air Force
Building on the B-2 Spirit’s groundbreaking technology, the B-21 will further improve the stealth characteristics of low radar observability, reduced thermal signature, and discrete electronic footprint, making it nearly impossible for any system or sensor to detect the Air Force’s first sixth-generation stealth bomber. The overlap between the technologies and specifications of an advanced drone and an advanced bomber is one of the reasons it may be a pilot-optional stealth aircraft.
The next-generation stealth bomber must have the same avionics, secure communications, sensor suite, systems redundancy, and data-networking as an unmanned aircraft. Operating autonomously or even semi-autonomously would revolutionize the strategic strike capability of the United States Air Force. The Raider itself could be flown without a pilot, or at the very least, this would lessen the load on the pilot and allow the crew to carry out a wide range of tactical duties.
The prospect that the pilots may operate cooperating aircraft from the Raider as a sort of command center is another intriguing and plausible option. The Loyal Wingman, or Collaborative Combat Aircraft, drone program has already been investigated by the US Navy and Air Force, and several ship-based and land-based prototypes have been granted funding.
Stock Code
BA
Date Founded
July 15, 1916
CEO
Kelly Ortberg
Headquarters Location
Chicago, USA
Business Type
Planemaker
Key Product Lines
Boeing 737, Boeing 747, Boeing 757, Boeing 767, Boeing 777, Boeing 787
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner (specifically the Boeing 787-9 variant) is currently the most popular widebody aircraft on the market. It was built to replace the Boeing 767, complement the Boeing 777, and compete with the Airbus A330 (now A330neo) and the A350 that entered service four years after the Dreamliner. It also helped to doom the Airbus A380 as well as the Boeing 747-8i.
Even though Boeing slashed production of the 787 during the pandemic by shutting the assembly line in Seattle, it is currently being delivered in higher numbers than other widebody aircraft. Boeing is also working to expand its production in North Charleston, South Carolina, and ramp up production. Here is what to know about the Boeing 787’s deliveries in 2025 and beyond.
The Number Of Boeing 787s Delivered By Mid-2025
Photo: eric1207cvb | Shutterstock
As of mid-2025, Boeing’s records show it has a total unfulfilled backlog of 993 Boeing 787s on order from a total of 2,199 firm orders. This has made the Boeing 787 the best-selling widebody aircraft in history. But while Boeing wins that accolade, Airbus’ A320 family is the best-selling commercial jet in history and is becoming the most delivered commercial jet.
When it comes to deliveries, Boeing has delivered 399 of its 787-8 variant Dreamliners, 681 of its mid-sized 787-9s, and 126 of the 787-10s. That is a total of 1,206 Boeing 787s delivered since the first example entered service in 2011. While the rival Airbus A350, which entered service in 2015, has proven to be a popular aircraft, the Dreamliner has continued to outperform it in both orders and deliveries. A total of 1,428 A350s have been ordered, of which 669 have been delivered.
Orders for the Dreamliner continue to roll in, and in 2025, Boeing has amassed a total of 243 new orders for its Dreamliners. These are thanks in large part to Qatar Airways, which ordered 120 new 787s, while British Airways and Korean Air have also placed substantial orders. All orders have been for its 787-9 and 787-10 variants, and none are for the 787-8.
Boeing’s Past Dreamliner Delivery Rate
Photo: Peter Krocka | Shutterstock
Before the pandemic, the Boeing 787 was delivered in much larger numbers. Boeing was building them in both Everett in Seattle, and in North Charleston. In 2019, the last “normal” production year for the Dreamliner, Boeing delivered a total of 158 aircraft. In 2020, that dropped to just 53 and to only 14 examples in 2021. In the pandemic, Boeing shut down its Seattle assembly line for the 787.
In 2022, deliveries recovered somewhat to 31 examples and grew to around half the prepandemic rate of 73 in 2023. 2024 was another bad year for Boeing deliveries, with its total deliveries falling back to just 348 commercial aircraft (Airbus delivered 766 that year). In 2024, Boeing delivered 51 Dreamliners, although it has delivered 45 by mid-year 2025.
Boeing 787 Dreamliner deliveries by year since 2019 (per Boeing)
2019
158
2024
51
2020
53
2025 (mid-year)
45
2021
14
2025 (estimated)
75-80
2022
31
Planned end of 2025 rate
84 (seven per month)
2023
73
Total delivered (mid-2025)
1,206
While 2019 was the last “normal” production year for the Dreamliner, 2018 was the last “normal” year for Boeing’s commercial aircraft overall. In 2019, the second Boeing 737 MAX crashed, and Boeing’s deliveries have not recovered since. From 2015-2017, Boeing delivered between 748 and 763 aircraft, rising to 806 in 2018. Since then, the most it has delivered was in 2023, when it shipped 528 aircraft.
At the start of 2025, Boeing projected deliveries of 75 to 80 Dreamliners in 2025. That number includes both new-build jets and those currently in inventory that it has been unable to deliver. At the start of 2025, Boeing had an estimated 25 Boeing 787s built in previous years but stored before delivery. If those jets are delivered, then Boeing’s 2025 production would be 50-55 new aircraft.
787 orders and deliveries per Boeing mid-2025
Boeing 787-8
Boeing 787-9
Boeing 787-10
Total
Total number ordered (per Boeing, may include orders later canceled)
In 2019, Boeing was delivering the Dreamliner at a rate of 14 per month; by the start of 2025, that was just five per month, with plans to increase it to seven per month. Even so, that is only half of the pre-pandemic levels. Part of the issue is that Boeing is trying to restore its world-class quality control to its aircraft to ensure things like the Boeing 737 MAX crashes and the Alaska Airlines door plug blowout don’t happen again.
Leeham News says that when the expansion is finished in 2028, Boeing will have the capacity to reach a rate of 16 per month. If Boeing could deliver the aircraft at a rate of 16 per month, that would translate to 192 aircraft a year.
Story Of The Boeing 787-8
Photo: Minh K Tran | Shutterstock
The Boeing 787-8 was the first to debut, and it attracted a large percentage of the orders. However, the 787-9 hit the market in 2014, and since then it has attracted more orders, with new orders for the Boeing 787-8 drying up over time. Boeing only has 28 orders for the 787-8 remaining on its order book, over half (15) of which are for Emirates.
Since 2020, Boeing has only recorded eight new orders for the 787-8 variant. This suggests that the Boeing 787-8 may soon go out of production. Increased Dreamliner production means more 787-9s and 787-10s and not 787-8s. One of the reasons why the 787-9 is more popular is that the wings are better optimized for that variant than the 787-8 or 787-10.
Boeing 787-8
Boeing 787-9
Boeing 787-10
Range
7,305 nautical miles
7,565 nautical miles
6,330 nautical miles
Typical 3-class seating
248
296
336
Length
186 feet
206 feet
224 feet
The 787-9 is the longest ranged variant with a range of 7,565 nautical miles, compared with the 787-8’s 7,305 nautical mile range and the 787-10’s reduced 6,330 nautical mile range. The 787-8 is being outcompeted by both the 787-9 and the cheaper-to-operate but still large and long-range Airbus A321XLR. The A321XLR comes with a range of 4,700 nautical miles.
Boeing 787 Dreamliner Production To Recover By 2028
Photo: Mehdi Photos | Shutterstock
After a decade-long dip in production due to the pandemic and lingering concerns with Boeing’s quality controls, the Dreamliner appears set to meet and even exceed its previous delivery rates around 2028. In 2025, the Dreamliner’s deliveries will remain around half that of pre-pandemic numbers but above that of 2024.
The 2025 final delivery rate will hinge to some degree on when Boeing can move the already-built Lufthansa Dreamliners and any others it has lying around. The future appears bright for the Dreamliner (except the 787-8) with large numbers of orders continuing to be placed and Boeing looking to restore its previously high levels of production. One of the major areas of uncertainty for the Dreamliner and Boeing aircraft in general is the ongoing trade war.
Both Boeing and Airbus are part of the supply chain integrity coalition, which aims to change how parts are tracked from the production line to the boneyard.
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The Airbus A330-800neo is one of two variants in the Airbus A330neo family, with the other being the A330-900neo. The A330neo is an upgrade over the original A330 variants, with new engines, updated wingtips, interior improvements, and software upgrades. The A330-900, directly succeeding the A330-300, has proven effective and has even found love in the United Statesat Delta Air Lines. Contrastingly, the A330-800 has been shunned in the US.
In some ways, you can consider the start of the A330neo to be the original A350 program. To compete against the Boeing 787, Airbus took the A330 family and added new engines along with a carbon-composite wing and a new cockpit. Airlines largely rejected the concept, prompting Airbus to create a clean-sheet aircraft, the A350 XWB, and move up in size. The A330neo was developed in the 2010s to slot underneath the A350 in price and capability.
The Airlines That Don’t Want The Airbus A330-800
Photo: Dirk Daniel Mann | Shutterstock
The A330-800 is Airbus’s smallest widebody, and given that the US is home to more Boeing 767s (a similarly-sized twinjet) than any other nation in the world, you’d expect the European manufacturer to make significant efforts to sell this jet here. However, Airbus hasn’t sold a single A330-800to a US airline. This is especially surprising considering that the prior A330-200 has been reasonably successful in the country, being operated by Delta, Hawaiian, and, previously, American Airlines.
United Airlines currently flies 53 aging Boeing 767s, but has committed to the 787 to replace these planes. Hawaiian Airlines, a current A330-200 operator, ordered Boeing 787-9s to replace its Airbus widebodies, although these planes are now slated to remain in service while the Dreamliners get transferred to Alaska Airlines. For American Airlines, meanwhile, its 767 and A330 fleets were fully retired during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the 787 serving as their replacement.
Only four airlines in the US operate passenger widebodies in scheduled service, and by and large, they have opted for the similarly sized Boeing 787. This is despite the fact that these planes are replacing the Boeing 767 or Airbus A330, which are optimized for medium-haul routes, similar to the Airbus A330neo. Notably, Hawaiian Airlines formerly held orders for six Airbus A330-800s, but cancelled them in favor of the Dreamliners.
Why Delta Air Lines Isn’t Buying Them
Photo: Minh K Tran | Shutterstock
Delta Air Lines is the largest operator of the Airbus A330-900 in the world and the largest operator of the A330 series as a whole. It operates 11 A330-200s, 31 A330-300s, and 37 A330-900s with two more on order, but has never ordered the A330-800, and has not announced plans to obtain more A330neos. What’s surprising is that the A330-900s were slated to partially replace the Boeing 767-300ER fleet, an aircraft significantly smaller than the A330-900.
You’d expect Delta to replace these aircraft with the A330-800, given that it would be far closer in size to the 767. However, going with the larger A330-900 instead was a conscious choice. Delta is looking to upgauge its entire network, replacing A320s and 737s with A321neos and 737 MAX 10s, while 767s are to be replaced with larger widebodies. Delta is looking to lower per-seat economics, and larger aircraft variants are cheaper to operate per-seat than smaller variants.
Aircraft Types In Service With Delta
Aircraft Types On Order By Delta
Airbus A220-100
Airbus A220-300
Airbus A220-300
Airbus A321neo
Airbus A319-100
Airbus A330-900
Airbus A320-200
Airbus A350-900
Airbus A321-200
Airbus A350-1000
Airbus A321neo
Boeing 737 MAX 10
Airbus A330-200
Airbus A330-300
Airbus A330-900
Airbus A350-900
Boeing 717-200
Boeing 737-800
Boeing 737-900ER
Boeing 757-200
Boeing 757-300
Boeing 767-300ER
Boeing 767-400ER
Delta only has two A330-900s left on order. It’s expected that at least part of its remaining A350 order will displace existing A330-900s that can replace the remaining 767-300ERs, which would again be a system-wide upgauge. Meanwhile, it’s been heavily speculated that the Atlanta-based carrier is looking to order Boeing 787-10s. With a possible delivery date in the early 2030s, these could replace older A330s and the Boeing 767-400ER, while also being a significant upgauge over both types.
Why The Airbus A330-800 Is Not Selling
Photo: Markus Mainka I Shutterstock
In the US, Delta is looking to upgauge its entire network, while other carriers are focusing on the Boeing 787. However, the A330-800 has also sold poorly around the world, with only eight total orders, while the A330-900 has received nearly 440. Seven have already been delivered: four to Kuwait Airways, two to Uganda Airlines, and one to Air Greenland. One more example is reported to have been ordered in an executive configuration.
The A330-800 is a direct replacement for the Airbus A330-200, which, in Delta’s premium-heavy configuration, seats 223 passengers. At the other end of the spectrum, Hawaiian’s leisure-focused A330-200s seat 278. With the new winglets and more efficient Rolls-Royce Trent 7000, the A330-800 now has a range of 8,100 NM (15,000 km) at a Maximum Takeoff Weight of 251 tonnes, and this is the issue.
The A330-200 that the A330-800 is based on was developed as a shrink of the original A330-300 (replaced by the A330-900). As such, the A330-200/800 is more expensive to operate per-seat than its larger counterparts. In the past, the A330-200 sold due to its additional range, but as the A330-300 grew more capable, sales for the A330-200 dried up. With the A330-900 now having up to 7,350 NM (13,600 km) of range, almost no airline is willing to sacrifice economics for the extra miles.
The Decline Of Short-Fuselage Variants
Photo: Wirestock Creators | Shutterstock
In airliner design, manufacturers typically create the base design (Airbus A320, Boeing 757-200, Airbus A330-300, Boeing 777-200), then they will either shrink the fuselage (Airbus A319, Airbus A330-200) or stretch the fuselage (Boeing 757-300, Boeing 777-300). Shrinking typically results in a more capable plane with higher per-seat costs, while a stretched variant boasts the best per-seat costs but also has less range.
Manufacturers don’t always develop their aircraft in this manner (both Airbus A350 variants are optimized for their size), but this is typically how commercial aircraft are designed. This approach generally proved successful, as the A330-200 made up 46% of passenger A330ceo sales, while the A319, A320, and A321 were all popular. For first-generation A320 variants, only the A318 was a sales flop, with this variant being a shrink of a shrink.
Today, however, the A330-800 is far from the only reengined shrink that’s been unpopular. The A319neo has only received 57 orders, while slightly over 300 orders have been received for the Boeing 737 MAX 7. The 777-8’s development has been paused, and even sales for the Boeing 787-8 have slowed down dramatically. As the larger version of an airliner becomes more capable, such as during a re-engine program, demand for the shrink disappears.
Why Airbus Doesn’t Care About Selling A330-800s
Photo: EA Photography | Shutterstock
From a manufacturer’s position, a shrink allows you to capture a broader segment of the market by addressing the shortcomings of the original model. However, such jets are priced lower than a larger model, but cost practically the same to produce, thereby generating lower profit margins. Manufacturers prefer to sell larger variants whenever possible, as they generate the highest profits.
When significant demand exists for a smaller aircraft that is more capable, manufacturers will price it competitively. The sale price is a significant component in whether an airliner wins an order, and, as such, selling an A330-200 may have yielded lower profits than an A330-300 in the past, but this was still preferable over losing an order to the Boeing 767.
With the A330-800, however, airlines aren’t lining up to buy it, and Airbus spent little on developing it. The A330-900 captures nearly all of the market, and this variant generates higher profit margins. As such, Airbus is incentivized to price the A330-900 competitively, while the A330-800 has low demand and generates lower profits, so Airbus likely budges little on pricing. This lowers demand for the A330-800 even further, but Airbus would still rather sell more A330-900s.
The Bottom Line
The Airbus A330-800 has been sold to three airlines. This is the only widebody in Air Greenland’s fleet and is used for flights to Copenhagen, directly replacing an Airbus A330-200. For Kuwait Airways and Uganda Airlines, the type serves as a small, efficient, cheap widebody that has incredible capability. Kuwait Airways also operates the A330-900, making it easier for the airline to integrate it into the fleet.
While the A330-800 has so far proven a sales dud, Airbus is not focused on the variant’s individual orderbook. Rather, Airbus aims to make money on the A330neo program as a whole, and selling more A330-900s appears to be a winning strategy for the European planemaker. As such, the A330-800 will likely go down as one of the industry’s rarest birds, similar to other reengined shrinks like the Airbus A319neo.
Delta Air Lines
