Air Force's B-21 Raider Uniform: The All-Black Stealth Bomber Set Air Force Wears vs Navy on October 3, Graded A-

Air Force builds a uniform around an aircraft every year, and the 2026 edition is the best-looking one they have done in a while. The Air Power Legacy Series set honors the B-21 Raider, the stealth bomber Northrop Grumman is building for the Air Force, and it is head-to-toe matte black with chrome numerals that look like polished metal.

It debuts Saturday, October 3 against Navy, the first leg of the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy, at 10 a.m. Mountain on CBS at Falcon Stadium.

Image: Air Force Athletics and Nike

What Is Actually On It

The helmet is the piece that sells it. A matte black shell with a dark camouflage wrap, a black facemask, and B-21 in small type above the mask where a player's number usually goes. There is no shine anywhere on it, which is the point of a stealth bomber.

The jersey is black with AIR FORCE in outline type across the chest and chrome silver numerals. Black pants, black everything else.

The details are all Air Force rather than decoration:

Image: Air Force Athletics and Nike

The Aircraft Behind It

The B-21 Raider is the stealth bomber meant to form the backbone of the future bomber fleet alongside the B-52. Its name comes from the Doolittle Raiders, the crews who launched B-25s off an aircraft carrier to strike Tokyo in April 1942, which is where the "Raider" in the name comes from.

That is why the patches are the ones they are. Global Strike Command runs the bomber and missile force, and the 412th Test Wing at Edwards Air Force Base is where the B-21 is actually being flight tested.

Our Grade

We are usually hard on all-black uniforms, because most of them are black for the sake of being black and the numbers disappear into the jersey. This one earns it twice over.

First, the black means something here. It is a stealth bomber, and the matte finish and the camo helmet wrap are the whole idea rather than a color choice.

Second, and this is what separates it from every other blackout in the sport, the chrome numerals pop. Polished silver against flat black reads clean from the upper deck and on television, which is exactly where most black-on-black sets fail. Put white numbers on this and it is ordinary. The chrome is the difference.

The one thing holding it back from a full A is that Air Force does this every year, so the format is familiar even when the execution is this good. Against Navy's gold helmets it is going to look terrific.

The Bottom Line

Air Force wears the B-21 Raider uniform once, against Navy on October 3 at Falcon Stadium. Matte black with a camo helmet wrap, chrome numbers, four command patches, and two back plates. It is the rare blackout with a reason to exist and the rare one where you can still read the numbers.

The rest of Air Force's season is in our Air Force 2026 uniform schedule. Their opponent that day has its own big uniform coming: see Navy's 1926 centennial uniform and the Navy 2026 uniform schedule, plus the Army 2026 uniform schedule for the third academy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What uniform is Air Force wearing against Navy?

The 2026 Air Power Legacy Series B-21 Raider uniform: a matte black helmet with a dark camouflage wrap and B-21 above the facemask, a black jersey with chrome silver numerals, and black pants. Air Force wears it Saturday, October 3 at Falcon Stadium, 10 a.m. Mountain on CBS.

What is the Air Power Legacy Series?

Air Force's annual alternate uniform program, which began in 2016. Each edition honors a different aircraft, and the design details, patches and back plates are built around that aircraft and the units that fly and test it.

What is the B-21 Raider?

A stealth bomber being built by Northrop Grumman for the Air Force, intended to form the backbone of the future bomber force along with the B-52. Its name honors the Doolittle Raiders of 1942.

What patches are on the Air Force B-21 uniform?

Air Force Global Strike Command, the 412th Test Wing at Edwards Air Force Base, Air Force Materiel Command, and the 140th Wing of the Colorado Air National Guard. The back plates read STRATEGIC DETERRENCE and POWER PROJECTION.

Does Air Force wear black every year?

No. Air Force's standard sets are white, silver and blue. The Air Power Legacy Series uniform is a one-game alternate, and its colors change with the aircraft being honored.

Uniform images courtesy of Air Force Athletics and Nike. Air Force announced the uniform on August 25, 2026, with Northrop Grumman.