Facts About the B-2 Spirit
The B-2 is a stealth bomber manufactured by Northrop Grumman for the U.S. Air Force. The B-2 bomber employs stealth technology, making it difficult to detect on radar. It has been operational in the USAF since 1993, accumulating more than 75,000 flight hours with the loss of only one aircraft.
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History
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The first B-2 bomber flight was on July 17, 1989. The aircraft achieved full operational status in December 1993. Although original plans called for 132 aircraft, only 21 were built. The final aircraft was delivered to the Air Force in 1998. One aircraft was destroyed when it crashed shortly after takeoff from an Air Force base in Guam in February 2008. The other 20 aircraft remain operational. The Spirit’s home base is Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. Maintenance of the aircraft’s stealth features required its return to Whiteman; transportable hangers have been constructed to allow the aircraft to be deployed overseas. The first of the portable hangers was set up on the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. The B-2 has subsequently been deployed to Anderson Air force Base on the island of Guam.
Size
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The B-2 has a wingspan of 172 feet and is 69 feet long. The B-2’s maximum gross weight, including fuel and payload, is 336,500 pounds. Unlike conventional aircraft, the Spirit has no vertical tail surface and has a height of only 17 feet. The cost of the B-2 program is more than $45 billion; each individual aircraft cost more than $1.2 billion.
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Function
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The B-2 is capable of carrying more than 40,000 pounds of conventional or nuclear weapons. Without refueling, its range is more than 6,000 nautical miles; with one refueling, the B-2 can fly more than 10,000 nautical miles. The B-2’s stealth technology and sophisticated electronics allow it to fly virtually undetected in enemy airspace.
Features
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The B-2 is a flying wing. The leading edge of the wing is swept back at an angle of 33 degree. The trailing edge of the wing is in the form of a double "W." The unique design helps prevent detection by enemy radar. Power is supplied by four General Electric F118-GE-100 turbofan engines generating 19,000 pounds of thrust each. Engines are housed within the wing. The engine’s exhaust exits over the wing, reducing the aircraft’s heat signature. Bombs are carried internally, reducing the aircraft’s radar signature. In addition to the physical design providing stealth through low radar and heat signatures, the B-2 surface is covered with a radar-absorbent material.
B-2 Upgrade Program
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The B-2 fleet began an extensive upgrade program in 2009. The upgrade includes the installation of satellite communications capability, updated high-speed computer architecture and a new lower maintenance stealth coating. The communications upgrades expand the B-2’s capabilities, allowing it to attack moving targets. The new stealth coating replaces a coating that required maintenance after each flight. The new coating allows the B-2 to deploy to additional forward locations.
Design Accolades
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The B-2’s design team was awarded the Collier Trophy in 1991. The Collier Trophy is awarded by the National Aeronautic Association for demonstrated achievement in aeronautics or astronautics.
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