The B-2 Spirit, nicknamed "Spirit Bomber," is a truly unique aircraft with a fascinating history. Here's a glimpse into its journey:

Cold War Origins:

• Developed in the 1980s as the "Advanced Technology Bomber," its primary purpose was to penetrate Soviet air defenses and deliver nuclear payloads during the Cold War.
• Designed with cutting-edge stealth technology, its "flying wing" shape and special materials minimized radar signature, making it difficult to detect.
• The program was shrouded in secrecy, with the first public unveiling in 1988 and maiden flight in 1989.

Evolving Role:

• Despite the Cold War's end, the B-2 proved valuable for conventional missions.
• Its first combat use was in 1999, dropping non-nuclear bombs in the Kosovo War.
• Since then, it has seen action in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya, demonstrating its versatility and global reach.
• Its high-altitude, long-range capabilities make it ideal for long-distance precision strikes.

Technological Marvel:

• The B-2 boasts revolutionary features:
  • Its unique shape and special coatings deflect radar waves, reducing its radar signature.
  • Advanced onboard systems optimize flight path and minimize noise, further enhancing stealth.
  • It can refuel in mid-air, extending its range to intercontinental distances.
  • Despite its size, its "blended wing-body" design ensures incredible aerodynamic efficiency.

Present and Future:

• With only 21 B-2s ever built, they remain a crucial, but limited, asset for the US Air Force.
• Upgradation programs are underway to keep them relevant in the face of evolving threats.
• The B-2's future likely lies in specialized, high-value missions requiring its unique capabilities.

Additional Resources:

• Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_Grumman_B-2_Spirit
• B-2 | Stealth Technology, Long-Range Capability & Strategic Defense: https://kids.britannica.com/
• 10 Cool Facts about the B-2: https://www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/air/b-2-stealth-bomber/10-cool-facts-about-the-b-2

I hope this provides a good overview of the B-2's history and significance. If you have any further questions about specific aspects or its continued role, feel free to ask!

B-2 Spirit History: A Year-by-Year Breakdown

Pre-1980s:

• 1940s-50s: Jack Northrop explores flying wing designs for bombers, but none reach production.
• 1974: US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) initiates Project HARVEY, the first step towards stealth aircraft development.

1980s:

• 1981: Advanced Technology Bomber (ATB) program officially begins, focusing on stealth and long-range capabilities.
• 1987: Northrop wins ATB contract, and construction of the first B-2 prototype starts.
• 1988: The B-2 is unveiled publicly, shrouded in secrecy and generating media buzz.
• 1989: The first B-2 takes its maiden flight, marking a milestone in stealth technology.

1990s:

• 1993: First operational B-2 ("Spirit of Missouri") arrives at Whiteman Air Force Base.
• 1997: The B-2 officially enters service with the US Air Force, despite budget controversies.
• 1999: The B-2 sees its first combat action, dropping bombs in the Kosovo War.

2000s:

• 2000: B-2 production ends after 21 aircraft are built due to high costs.
• 2001: B-2s play a significant role in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
• 2003: B-2s participate in the invasion of Iraq, demonstrating long-range precision strike capabilities.
• 2008: A B-2 crashes in Guam, highlighting maintenance and vulnerability concerns.

2010s:

• 2011: B-2s contribute to the NATO intervention in Libya, showcasing global reach and flexibility.
• 2012: Upgradation programs begin to modernize B-2 electronics and weapons systems.
• 2017: President Trump announces plans to purchase additional B-2s, later cancelled due to cost reasons.

2020s:

• 2022: B-2 successfully integrates the Radar Aided Targeting System (RATS) for precision bombing in GPS-denied environments.
• 2023: Two B-2s suffer landing accidents, prompting a temporary fleet-wide stand-down for safety evaluations.
• 2024 (Present): The B-2 continues to serve as a crucial, albeit limited, asset for the US Air Force, with ongoing modernization efforts to secure its future.

Beyond 2024:

• The B-2 is expected to remain in service until the B-21 Raider bomber enters service in sufficient numbers.
• Its unique stealth and long-range capabilities will likely be utilized for specialized, high-value missions.
• The B-2's legacy as a pioneer in stealth technology and a symbol of airpower is likely to endure.

This breakdown provides a snapshot of the B-2's history in yearly blocks. Remember, this is a simplified overview, and each year would have further details and complexities.

The B-2 Spirit stealth bomber has been upgraded with a new open missions systems (OMS) software capability and other improvements to keep it relevant and credible until it’s succeeded by the B-21 Raider, Northrop Grumman announced. The changes accelerate the rate at which new weapons can be added to the B-2; allow it to accept constant software updates and adapt it to changing conditions.

“The B-2 program recently achieved a major milestone by providing the bomber with its first fieldable, agile integrated functional capability called Spirit Realm 1 (SR 1),” the company said in a release. It announced the upgrade going operational on July 17, the 35th anniversary of the B-2’s first flight.

SR 1 was developed inside the Spirit Realm software factory co-developed by the Air Force and Northrop to facilitate software improvements for the B-2. “Open mission systems” means that the aircraft has a non-proprietary software architecture that simplifies software refresh and enhances interoperability with other systems.

“SR 1 provides mission-critical capability upgrades to the communications and weapons systems via an open mission systems architecture, directly enhancing combat capability and allowing the fleet to initiate a new phase of agile software releases,” Northrop said in its release.

The system is intended to deliver problem-free software on the first go—but should they arise, correct software issues much earlier in the process.

The SR 1 was “fully developed inside the B-2 Spirit Realm software factory that was established through a partnership with Air Force Global Strike Command and the B-2 Systems Program Office,” Northrop said.

The Spirit Realm software factory came into being less than two years ago, with four goals: to reduce flight test risk and testing time through high-fidelity ground testing; to capture more data test points through targeted upgrades; to improve the B-2’s functional capabilities through more frequent, automated testing; and to facilitate more capability upgrades to the jet.

The Air Force said B-2 software updates which used to take two years can now be implemented in less than three months.

In addition to B61 or B83 nuclear weapons, the B-2 can carry a large number of precision-guided conventional munitions. However, the Air Force is preparing to introduce a slate of new weapons that will require near-constant target updates and the ability to integrate with USAF’s evolving long-range kill chain. A quicker process for integrating these new weapons with the B-2’s onboard communications, navigation, and sensor systems was needed.

The upgrade also includes improved displays, flight hardware and other enhancements to the B-2’s survivability, Northrop said.

“We are rapidly fielding capabilities with zero software defects through the software factory development ecosystem and further enhancing the B-2 fleet’s mission effectiveness,” said Jerry McBrearty, Northrop’s acting B-2 program manager.

The upgrade makes the B-2 the first legacy nuclear weapons platform “to utilize the Department of Defense’s DevSecOps [development, security, and operations] processes and digital toolsets,” it added.

The software factory approach accelerates adding new and future weapons to the stealth bomber, and thus improve deterrence, said Air Force Col. Frank Marino, senior materiel leader for the B-2.

The B-2 was not designed using digital methods—the way its younger stablemate, the B-21 Raider was—but the SR 1 leverages digital technology “to design, manage, build and test B-2 software more efficiently than ever before,” the company said.

The digital tools can also link with those developed for other legacy systems to accomplish “more rapid testing and fielding and help identify and fix potential risks earlier in the software development process.”

Following two crashes in recent years, the stealthy B-2 fleet comprises 19 aircraft, which are the only penetrating aircraft in the Air Force’s bomber fleet until the first B-21s are declared to have achieved initial operational capability at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. A timeline for IOC has not been disclosed.

In a totally unexpected move, the U.S. Air Force has decided to divest a B-2A Spirit stealth bomber next year, decreasing the size of the fleet to 19 aircraft. The news, first reported by the Aviation Week, was in the 2025 Report on Force Structure Changes released last month.

The document doesn’t provide many details, other than mentioning “the B-2 is being divested in FY 2025 due to a ground accident/damage presumed to be uneconomical to repair.” The document also doesn’t mention which incident the aircraft was involved in; however, the most likely candidate is the one that was damaged after an emergency landing in 2022 at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.

On Dec. 10, 2022, one of the 20 stealth bombers of the 509th Bomb Wing experienced an in-flight malfunction and was forced to carry out a successful emergency landing on the on-base’s only runway 01/19. A fire erupted aboard the B-2 after landing, causing damage to the aircraft, according to officials.

Immediately thereafter, a NOTAM (NOtice To AirMen) was issued, and the runway was closed for 11 days. A safety standdown was ordered to perform a series of safety inspections. The stealth bombers resumed flight operations over five months later, on May 22, 2023.

To date, the cause of the incident and the entity of the damage have not been disclosed. A satellite photo showed the aircraft partially off the runway after the mishap, while a photo posted on social media showed the bomber possibly sitting on its left wing.

A similar incident happened in 2021, when a B-2A experienced a left main landing gear collapse while landing. The aircraft skidded off the runway and came to a stop about a mile from the touchdown point. The aircraft, tail number 89-0129 (“Spirit of Georgia”), was 89-0129 returned to flight a year later and is now still at Northrop Grumman’s facility at Plant 42 in Palmdale, California.

It’s unknown what will happen to the B-2 when it is divested, although we can expect that its sensitive coatings will be carefully removed, as on the F-117. It is also possible that all useful components will be removed to be used on the remaining 19 aircraft in the fleet, trying to reduce to a minimum the economic impact of the loss of this aircraft.

Northrop Grumman has clinched a $7-billion contract to modernize the US Air Force’s B-2 heavy strategic bomber aircraft.

Announced Thursday, the agreement covers aircraft enhancements, sustainment, and necessary logistics services.

It also includes depot maintenance of the fleet and other associated contractor support.

Most work for the contract will be performed in California, with an expected completion date of May 2029.

Prior to this contract award, the US Air Force Life Cycle Management Center launched a software factory for the B-2 bomber to help provide “war-winning capability upgrades.”

‘Strong, Effective Deterrent’

Also called the “Spirit,” the B-2 stealth bomber reportedly has massive firepower to penetrate even the most sophisticated air defenses in the world.

It is designed to strike high-value, often heavily defended targets.

According to the US Air Force, the B-2 represents a dramatic leap forward in technology, as it can deliver both conventional and nuclear munitions.

It also features low-observable technologies, making it very difficult for enemy radar to detect.

The B-2 has an operational range of 6,000 nautical miles (6,905 miles/9,600 kilometres) and is operated by a two-person crew.

“Its capability to penetrate air defenses and threaten effective retaliation provides a strong, effective deterrent and combat force well into the 21st century,” the service noted.

More than half of the US Air Force's B-2 Spirit stealth bombers conducted a large-scale exercise earlier this week, staging a massive fly-off.

Photos show the aircraft — known for its flying wing design and ability to leverage its lower-observable, or stealth, characteristics to penetrate even sophisticated enemy defenses and unleash a devastating conventional or nuclear strike — taxiing on the runway before taking off.

The B-2s were flying out of Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri on Monday, finishing off the annual Spirit Vigilance exercise to demonstrate the base's B-2 capabilities and readiness. This year's exercise featured the largest mass fly-off of B-2s ever, with 12 of 20 active aircraft involved. The second largest was eight aircraft in 2022.

According to the Air Force, the B-2, a two-man strategic bomber manufactured by Northrop Grumman, "brings massive firepower to bear, in a short time, anywhere on the globe through previously impenetrable defenses." It's stealth capabilities allow it to do what other aircraft, like the B-52 and B-1 bombers, can't.

Video footage from the recent exercise published by Whiteman Air Force Base, the only operational B-2 base, showed the B-2 bombers prepared for take-off before hitting the runway and flying off.

Decades after it was first fielded in the early 1990s, the B-2 remains relevant today.

The bomber first saw combat in the Kosovo War in 1999, striking Serbian targets with conventional munitions, and it has flown sorties over Iraq, Afghanistan, and other conflict zones.

Its stealth capabilities, payload capacity, and potential to execute long-range strike missions make it a formidable aircraft and deterrent for US rivals. For a long time, it was the only stealth bomber in the world, but the US is making progress on a new stealth bomber, the B-21 Raider, which achieved its first flight in November last year.

The US military has said that the B-21, as a penetrating strike stealth bomber, is expected to "form the backbone of the future Air Force bomber force."

For now though, the B-2 is the go-to stealth bomber, as the aircraft is able to threaten an adversary's "most valued, and heavily defended, targets. Its capability to penetrate air defenses and threaten effective retaliation provides a strong, effective deterrent and combat force well into the 21st century," the Air Force said.

The B-2 Spirit, also known as the Stealth Bomber, is a long-range strategic bomber flown by the United States Air Force. It was developed by Northrop Grumman in the 1980s as part of a program to create a next-generation stealth aircraft for the Air Force. The B-2 is one of the most technologically advanced planes in the world, and its unique blend of stealth technology, range, payload, and speed make it a valuable asset to the military.

The development of the B-2 began in the late 1970s, as the Air Force sought to replace its aging fleet of B-52 Stratofortress bombers. The B-2 was designed to be a stealthy, long-range bomber that could penetrate enemy airspace and deliver nuclear weapons without being detected by radar. To achieve this, the B-2 was designed with a number of stealth features, including a curved, composite material exterior, a special radar-absorbing coating, and internal weapons bays to reduce its radar signature.

After several years of development, the first B-2 was unveiled to the public in 1988. The Air Force initially planned to purchase 132 B-2s, but the end of the Cold War and budget constraints led to the cancellation of the program in 1992. As a result, only 21 B-2s were built, and they were initially assigned to Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri.

The B-2 has seen action in a number of conflicts, including the 1999 Kosovo War, the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, and the 2003 invasion of Iraq. It has also been used for non-combat missions, such as providing humanitarian aid and disaster relief. In recent years, the B-2 has been updated with new technology, including improved radar and weapons systems, to keep it relevant in an increasingly complex and dangerous world.

Overall, the B-2 Spirit is a key part of the Air Force's arsenal, and its unique combination of stealth, range, and payload make it a valuable asset for conducting long-range strike missions.

The B61-12 nuclear bomb is now formally in the U.S. stockpile and cleared for operational use on the B-2A Spirit stealth bomber. It's the first U.S. combat aircraft cleared to employ the advanced B61 variant operationally.

U.S. Air Force F-35A Joint Strike Fighters, F-15E Strike Eagles, and F-16C/D Vipers, as well as the service's future B-21A Raider stealth bombers, are also in the process of being certified to employ the B61-12. Some NATO F-35s and F-16s, as well as Germany's swing-wing Tornado combat jets, are also set to be cleared to employ these weapons as part of the alliance's nuclear sharing arrangements.

The updates about the B61-12, among other items of interest, are contained in a new unclassified Stockpile Stewardship and Management Plan (SSMP) report for the 2024 Fiscal Year that the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) released earlier today. NNSA, part of the Department of Energy, oversees America's nuclear stockpile in coordination with the U.S. military.

The B61 series are some of the longest-serving nuclear weapons in the U.S. stockpile. The B61-12 has been slated to eventually supplant existing B61-3, -4, and -7 variants, but more later.

The first production B61-12 was completed in late 2021 and the weapons began being delivered to the U.S. military in 2022. The B61-12 program, which is technically a life-extension effort, is currently slated to wrap up in Fiscal Year 2025.

The B61-12 is not an entirely new weapon, and leverages components from multiple existing B61 types while also combining them with various new and improved features. The most significant new capability found on the B61-12, each of which famously costs more than its literal weight in gold, is its precision guidance package. However, this functionality will not be usable when the weapon is employed from F-16s belonging to the Air Force and select NATO member countries, as well as German Tornados. You can read more about all this here.

The B61-12, which also has small rockets at the rear of the body that spin the bomb to help stabilize it, is a so-called dial-a-yield bomb that can be set to detonate with various degrees of explosive force. Its reported maximum yield setting is 50 kilotons. This is similar, if not identical to what is understood to be the highest yield setting on the B61-4 (45-50 kilotons, depending on the source).

Flight testing of the B61-12 on the B-2, as well as other aircraft, has been ongoing for years now. Back in 2018, when the bomb was still in development, NNSA announced it had completed an initial round of end-to-end qualification flight tests on the B-2.

In June of that year, a B-2 conducted another test demonstrating the ability of the bomber to employ the weapon using the Radar Aided Targeting System (RATS).

"RATS improves weapon guidance accuracy in a Global Positioning System-degraded environment," the Air Force said at the time.

"The integration of RATS allows the B-2 to fully employ the B-61 mod 12 nuclear bombs," Northrop Grumman, the B-2's manufacturer, which remains responsible for the continued modernization and sustainment of the bombers, said in a subsequent press release in August 2022. "RATS is the key element of the nuclear modernization, as GPS may not be available during a bomber task force mission."

The timeline for when the B61-12 will be approved for use with the F-35, F-15, F-16, or any NATO aircraft is unclear. NNSA and the U.S. Air Force have previously announced initial certification of the B61-12 on the F-15E and the F-35A. The Royal Netherlands Air Force publicly announced earlier this month that it had reached a similar milestone with its F-35As.

NNSA's new SSMP report says the B-2's nuclear armament options also still include the B61-7, B61-11, and B83-1 nuclear bombs. The Spirit is actually currently the only aircraft approved to employ any of these bombs. The B61-7 is a higher-yield variant of the B61 family, which can reportedly be set to detonate with a force of up to 400 kilotons. The B61-11 is a highly specialized deep-penetrating version with a maximum yield similar, if not the same as the B61-7. You can read more about the entire B61 family in detail in this past War Zone feature.

The B83-1 is a completely different design with a megaton-class maximum yield.

The B61-11 and B83-1 are primarily intended to be utilized against deeply buried and otherwise hardened high-value targets, such as strategic command and control bunkers and missile silos. President Barack Obama's administration had moved to retire the B83-1 completely, a decision that was then reversed under President Donald Trump.

President Joe Biden's "2022 Nuclear Posture Review directed the retirement of the B83-1" again, but "specific details of the B83-1 retirement and dismantlement plan remain classified," according to NNSA's latest SSMP report.

There had previously been discussion about the possibility of the B61-12 replacing the B61-11 and the B83-1 through its ability to focus the full brunt of its lower-yield payload more precisely, thanks to its guidance kit and spin stabilization. However, that idea now looks to have given way to a new version of the B61 with all the new and improved features of the B61-12 but a maximum yield equivalent to that of the B61-7. Last month, the Pentagon announced its intention to develop this B61 variant, tentatively dubbed the B61-13tentatively dubbed the B61-13.

"The B61-13 will provide the President with additional options against certain harder and large-area military targets, even while the Department works to retire legacy systems such as the B83-1 and the B61-7," an official fact sheet explained. No mention was made of any plans to retire the B61-11.

The B61-13 plan, which still requires approval from Congress, would also see the expected stockpile of B61-12s shrink to some degree. The balance would, instead, be made up of some number of higher-yield -13 versions. The total numbers of B61-12s and B61-13s the U.S. military wants to acquire under this new course of action are classified. You can read more about what is known about the B61-13 and the reasoning behind its proposed development and acquisition here.

All of this will also have impacts on what nuclear bombs are available in the future for the Air Force's forthcoming B-21A bombers. The Raiders will likely be able to employ the same slate of nuclear bombs, as long as they're still in the stockpile, as the B-2A. The B61-13 is also expected to be for U.S. military use only, unlike the B61-12. The elimination of the B83-1 and B61-7 would leave only B61-11, 12, and 13s as the only nuclear gravity bombs in the U.S. stockpile at all.

It's also worth noting that the B-52H is no longer authorized to carry any nuclear gravity bombs of any type, with the understanding that it is too vulnerable to actually get to the kind of heavily defended targets against which they would be employed. Instead, the only known current and future nuclear weapon options for those bombers, which are set to keep flying at least into the 2040s with the help of new engines and other major upgrades, will be nuclear-tipped cruise missiles. The existing AGM-86B Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) will eventually be replaced by the more capable AGM-181A Long Range Stand-Off (LRSO) cruise missile. LRSO is expected to enter service sometime in the 2030s and will also be integrated onto the B-21A.

Altogether, what the exact mix of nuclear weapons available for employment from U.S. Air Force aircraft, as well as those belonging to select NATO partners, will be in the 2030s remains to be seen.

What we do know is that the B61-12 is now officially in the U.S. stockpile and that B-2 stealth bombers can drop them in anger.

Let's hope this capability is never tested in combat.

• By Airman 1st Class Joseph Garcia

WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. – Maj. Jennifer Crum has made U.S. Air Force history.

Earlier this year, the 393rd Bomb Squadron assistant director of operations, became the first pilot ever to fly the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber while pregnant.

Crum didn’t set out to make history when she first joined the Air Force.

however, she didn’t even start her Air Force career as a pilot. She commissioned as an intelligence officer at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas.

Even though she wasn’t a pilot yet, she sought out ways to achieve her goal of flying.

“I did a ton of general aviation flying, got my private pilot license and even got my gliding rating,” said Crum. “Flying was just something my husband and I did in our free time, so it’s always been a part of my life.”

Her passion soon turned into her career once an opportunity to fly the B-2 opened up. Coming to Whiteman to fly the world’s premiere stealth bomber meant starting a new chapter in her life including starting a family.

“When I got pregnant with my first son, I stopped flying and got moved out of the 13th Bomb Squadron and definitely felt like I got pulled out of the fight,” Crum said. “It kind of sucks but I understand why it happened.”

She was pulled from piloting because, at the time, female pilots could not fly aircraft with ejection seats while pregnant. Instead, she spent her time out of the cockpit caring for her son and being assigned a desk job in intelligence again.

Things would be different when she got pregnant for a second time.

Around the time that she had her first child, the Air Force released new standards for female pilots that would open more doors for them. Now, for the first time, pregnant pilots can fly in aircraft with ejection seats, including the B-2.

Not only does Crum get to continue doing what she loves, she also gets to keep on helping her team.

“Maj. Crum is one of our best and most talented pilots,” said Lt. Col. Stephen Bressett, 393rd Bomb Squadron director of operations. “Keeping her on flying status and in the cockpit throughout her pregnancy is a huge win for our squadron and is a major step forward in how the Air Force views female pilots during this important part of their lives.”

While Crum is happy to be flying, it hasn’t been without a few challenges along the way.

“There’s not that many women in our B-2 community,” Crum said. “So there’s a lot of things you have to figure out flying while pregnant, and luckily I'm in a community that’s very understanding and welcoming.”

As she was breaking new ground, she also learned lessons that she hopes to pass on to the next pilot to choose to fly while pregnant.

The doors the Air Force opened to pregnant pilots like Crum allows them to continue honing their skills, making the Air Force more lethal and keeping Whiteman ready to execute global strike… anytime, anywhere.

PALMDALE, Calif. – Aug. 9, 2023 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC), in partnership with the U.S. Air Force, successfully completed an integrated airborne mission transfer (IAMT) demonstration with the B-2 Spirit at Whiteman Air Force Base as part of the ongoing modernization efforts incorporating digital engineering.

IAMT delivers an advanced capability that enables the B-2 to complete a digital, machine-to-machine transfer of new missions received in flight directly into the aircraft. IAMT is part of Northrop Grumman’s B-2 Collaborative Combat Communication (B2C3) Spiral 1 program that digitally enhances the B-2’s communications capabilities in today’s battlespace.

“We are providing the B-2 with the capabilities to communicate and operate in advanced battle management systems and the joint all-domain command and control environment, keeping B-2 ahead of evolving threats,” said Nikki Kodama, vice president and B-2 program manager, Northrop Grumman. “The integration of this digital software with our weapon system will further enhance the connectivity and survivability in highly contested environments as part of our ongoing modernization effort.”

The demonstration included approximately 50 mission transfers during a two-day period in partnership with the Air Force. Aircraft vehicle 1086, the Spirit of Kitty Hawk, was configured with Northrop Grumman’s Multi Mission Domain (MMD) architecture. MMD is an open mission system architecture for the B-2 that allows rapid and affordable fielding of modern mission capabilities. The mission transfers utilized MMD to integrate with the B-2 Adaptable Communications Suite (ACS).

In the demonstration, the aircrew received an incoming transmission from the ACS ground station, which loaded the mission directly through MMD interfaces to the B-2 Disk Drive Unit. B-2 flight crews can now focus more on mission execution in today’s dynamic battlespace thanks to progressive digital technology.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global aerospace and defense technology company. Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with the capabilities they need to connect and protect the world, and push the boundaries of human exploration across the universe. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers’ toughest problems, our 95,000 employees define possible every day.  

Northrop Grumman’s B-2 Spirit, the U.S. Air Force’s multi-role bomber and one of the most iconic military aircraft in modern history, celebrates three decades in flight today.

July 17 marks the 30-year anniversary of the B-2 officially taking to the skies on this day in 1989, Northrop Grumman said in a statement on the company’s website.

“Three decades later, the iconic flying wing is more advanced than ever and in a class of its own,” the company’s statement read. “Morphing with the times, the B-2’s avionics technology, stealth and armament have evolved to ensure U.S. air dominance.”

The B-2, more popularly known as the Stealth Bomber for the low-observable technology it employs, features an iconic subsonic flying wing design. Seating a crew of two, the B-2 can deliver both conventional and thermonuclear weapons and remains the only acknowledged stealth configuration aircraft currently in use by the U.S. military capable of carrying large air-to-surface standoff weaponry.

The B-2 has its origins in the Advanced Technology Bomber (ATB) project during the administration of President Jimmy Carter. Although issues that included rising production costs resulted in setbacks, ultimately prompting the planned purchase of 132 of the aircraft to just 21, each with a production cost at the time of around $737 million. Today the estimated cost of a B-2 is close to $2 billion, making it the most expensive aircraft used by any military.

The first B-2 was publicly displayed on November 22, 1988, at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California.

Currently, there are 20 of the aircraft remaining in use by the U.S. Air Force, with one having been lost in February 2008 when Spirit of Kansas crashed just after takeoff from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. There were no casualties, and it remains the first and only operational loss of a B-2.

Although the B-2 is to be replaced by the new B-21 Raider by 2032, the fact that the B-2 has remained in service for three decades is no mystery. By combining low observability with a sophisticated use of aerodynamic efficiency, the B-2 remains the most formidable bomber aircraft, capable of a range of close to 6,000 nautical miles before refuelling.

Part of the magic of the world’s most famous stealth aircraft has to do with the aircraft’s still-classified low observability capabilities, possessing reduced acoustic, electromagnetic, visual, infrared, and radar signatures.

These combined signatures make the B-2 one of the most difficult aircraft to detect, track and engage, thanks to the composite materials and coatings it employs as the premier operational stealth bomber in the U.S. inventory.

“The B-2 Spirit remains an engineering marvel and combat-proven aircraft that will continue to pave the way forward for years to come,” Northrop Grumman said in a statement on Monday.

Micah Hanks is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of The Debrief. He can be reached by email at micah@thedebrief.org. Follow his work at micahhanks.com and on Twitter: @MicahHanks.

For three decades, the B-2 Spirit, built by Northrop Grumman, has been the backbone of stealth technology for the U.S. Air Force and has been commemorated in the Pioneers of Stealth Memorial at the National Museum of the United States Air Force Memorial Park, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The Memorial, dedicated today on the 34^th anniversary of the B-2’s first flight, celebrates Northrop Grumman’s groundbreaking role in the development of stealth technology in the late 20^th century.

The Pioneers of Stealth is a group of over 200 individuals from the U.S. Government and defense industry who worked low observable, or stealth, programs dating back to the 1970s. The memorial recognizes these visionaries and four key programs that changed everything for stealth and its role in national defense. Two of these programs were developed by Northrop Grumman: Tacit Blue and the B-2 Spirit.

Stepping Stone

The Tacit Blue, a highly classified DARPA initiated program was awarded to then-Northrop in 1976 to expand on low observable development with a focus on avoiding being seen on enemy radar. The experimental aircraft first flew in 1982 and the many stealth, radar and aerodynamic innovations it incorporated laid foundations for the development of the B-2 Spirit.

Tacit Blue proved that a stealthy aircraft could have curved surfaces which greatly influenced later aircraft like the B-2 Spirit. Tacit Blue’s design also minimized the heat signature emitted from the engines, further masking its presence.

With its low, “all-aspect” radar signature, Tacit Blue demonstrated that such an aircraft could loiter over – and behind – the battlefield without fear of being discovered by enemy radar. Using advanced sensors, it could also continuously monitor enemy forces (even through clouds) and provide timely information through data links to a ground command center. Moreover, these sensors functioned without giving away the location of the aircraft. The Tacit Blue aircraft flew 135 times before the program ended in 1985.

A New Foundation

The commitment and innovation of our company’s team of engineers and designers were tested as many components of the B-2 had to be invented from scratch. That list included tools, a software laboratory, composite materials, special test equipment, and 3-D modelling and computer systems. The Northrop Grumman team also developed new manufacturing processes. With an unmistakable silhouette and flying wing design, the B-2 is one of the most recognized aircraft in the world.

The B-2 provides the penetrating flexibility and effectiveness inherent in manned bombers. Its capability to penetrate air defenses and threaten effective retaliation provides a strong, effective deterrent and combat force well into the 21st century.

The revolutionary blending of low-observable technologies with high aerodynamic efficiency and large payload gives the B-2 significant advantages over existing bombers.

YouTube

Legendary Stealth

Northrop Grumman remains at the forefront of stealth technology as an innovator for the warfighter. With the lessons learned from heritage systems like the Tacit Blue, the company continues to trailblaze in the battlespace with the B-2 Spirit and soon the B-21 Raider.

The U.S. Air Force continues to fly B-2s today as a center point of the nation’s stealth bomber fleet. Currently, the B-2 is the only long-range penetrating stealth bomber in the U.S. arsenal protecting our service members, nation and global allies. The unique combination of nuclear and conventional capabilities, along with its stealth, long-range strike, heavy payload and precision weapons, makes the B-2 an ultimate deterrent.

We are leveraging 21st-century technology to continue modernizing the platform through sustainment and digital transformation to ensure the U.S. Air Force maintains its current only long-range, dual-penetrating stealth bomber.

Enduring Legacy

Northrop Grumman continues to lead the charge in stealth with the world’s first sixth-generation aircraft, the B-21 Raider. Decades of government and industry collaboration and investment have pushed the boundaries of what is possible, allowing stealth technology to continuously evolve with national security needs; all leading to the B-21 Raider, the next-generation stealth bomber currently in development by Northrop Grumman for the U.S. Air Force.

A new memorial has been unveiled to commemorate those who developed the U.S. Air Force’s first low observable, or stealth, aircraft. The 'Pioneers of Stealth' memorial features four obelisks, each dedicated to a critical program related to the dawn of stealth technology dating back to the 1970s. The memorial is at the National Museum of the United States Air Force Memorial Park at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.

The aircraft commemorated include Lockheed’s Have Blue that led to the F-117A Nighthawk and Northrop Grumman’s Tacit Blue ‘Whale’ that led to the B-2 Spirit. Thanks to those early programs, as well as other, fragmented efforts that date back even further, stealth technology revolutionized aerial warfare and now constitutes a core component of many of the U.S. military’s current and future crewed and uncrewed combat aircraft. It's also worth noting that the four programs displayed as part of the memorial were once so deeply classified it would have been nearly unimaginable to think they would one day be highlighted in such a public manner.

A two day special event was held between July 16-17 to unveil the memorial. Tying in with this, July 17 also marked the 34th anniversary of the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber’s first flight.

The memorial was proposed and designed by The Pioneers of Stealth — a group of over 200 individuals from the U.S. government and defense industry involved in the development of stealth technology since the latter twentieth century.

According to the organization’s webpage on the development of the memorial, its footprint measures 30 feet by 30 feet, with the height restricted to 10 feet, as per NMUSAF specifications. A triangular dedication obelisk sits to the front with information mounted on its base. The four granite obelisks to the rear feature key details on the history of each aircraft and are arranged in chronological order — Have Blue, F-117A, Tacit Blue, and B-2 — to reflect the growth of stealth technology during its early years. The black granite is an obvious callback to a colour that has become synonymous with stealth aircraft and the ‘black’ programs they originated from.

The memorial also features models of the four aircraft, which are made of polished stainless steel and mounted to the top of the rear obelisks via pylons. Those pylons, shaped as elongated quadrangles, are meant to resemble those used to test the radar cross-sections of aircraft going back to the dawn of stealth.

The memorial also features models of the four aircraft, made of polished stainless steel and mounted to the top of the rear obelisks via pylons. Those pylons, shaped as elongated quadrangles, are meant to resemble those used to test the radar cross-sections of aircraft going back to the dawn of stealth.

The size of the models are not to scale, The Pioneers of Stealth website notes, and are not intended to look completely realistic but are more representative in style. The Tacit Blue model measures 30 inches in length with a 22-inch wingspan; the B-2 measures 22 inches in length with a 41-inch wingspan; the Have Blue measures 31 inches in length with a 16-inch wingspan; and the F-117A measures 37 inches in length with a 24-inch wingspan. All of these aircraft aside from Have Blue are on display in the museum at Wright-Patterson AFB.

The prime contractor for the memorial was Morrison Monuments which has experience creating large-scale civic memorials of various shapes and sizes. Based out of Bellbrook, Ohio, Morrison Monuments was responsible for producing the four individual aircraft obelisks with wording and graphics, the center dedication obelisk, the concrete pad on which the memorial stands, the aircraft models and poles, and installing the memorial at the NMUSAF. A subcontractor, Spradlin Brothers of Springfield, Ohio, made the aircraft models.

In total, the project cost The Pioneers of Stealth $254,350, which the group was able to raise via internal fundraising. $234,850 of that total went towards the Morrison Monuments contract. At the same time, the remaining $19,500 has been paid to the Air Force Museum Foundation for “perpetual care” of the monument.

Plans for the memorial have been several years in the making. In early 2021, The Pioneers of Stealth initiated the ‘concept exploration’ phase for the memorial — during which members’ design concepts and inscription ideas were submitted for review by a special memorial committee. While the location for the memorial was already agreed upon, the design, graphics, and aircraft models to feature still needed to be narrowed down. The deadline for the first round of members’ entries was July 4, 2021.

From there, a preliminary design review stage followed. This phase wrapped up in late November 2021 and involved the memorial committee selecting five of the best design concepts and five of the best inscription ideas based on NMUSAF requirements. Following a vote on the top five designs and inscriptions by members, the committee selected the top three options for a final members' vote.

The last phase, the ‘critical design review’ was intended to refine any remaining details, including colours, via a members’ vote. The critical design review phase ended in December 2021, with the ‘frozen’ final design being submitted formally to the NMUSAF in early 2022.

Stealth technology, designed to reduce the radar cross-section and, in most cases, also the infrared signature of aircraft to such slim proportions that they can penetrate deep into enemy airspace without being detected and shot down, has roots dating back to the 1940s.

However, as The War Zone has written about in the past, work completed by Lockheed’s Skunk Works on the development of Have Blue as part of a highly classified Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) project in the mid 1970s is often seen as the birthplace of the stealth revolution as we know it today.

DARPA's primary objective with the Experimental Survivable Tactical program, or XST, was to acquire an advanced demonstrator aircraft designed to be very difficult to detect by radar, especially from the front and side using passive, rather than active, design features. The secretive nature of stealth technology research and development at the time was such that Skunk Works' advanced programs for the A-12 Oxcart and SR-71 Blackbird supersonic spy planes were unknown to DARPA.

Based on Lockheed’s "Hopeless Diamond" design, a software-generated (ECHO 1) concept that ironically leveraged a Soviet scientist’s work, Have Blue won out against Northrop's concept under the XST program. Two Have Blue demonstrators were made, the first of which took its first flight in early December 1977. While both examples crashed, work done on them proved instrumental in the development of the F-117, which first flew in 1981 and was introduced into service in 1983.

While the Air Force’s remaining F-117s were officially retired in 2008, the service has retained a number of those aircraft. As of January this year, the Air Force revealed to The War Zone it had 45 F-117s, though it's not clear how many were flyable then or still are. Nighthawks continue to be used by the Air Force for various research and development, test and evaluation, and training purposes.

Not long after the Have Blue program wrapped up, however, Northrop’s Tacit Blue program — also known as the Battlefield Surveillance Aircraft Experimental (BSAX) — kicked off. Demonstrating advanced stealth capabilities, Tacit Blue aimed to proved that a surveillance aircraft could survive for long time periods over the battlefield while collating very high-fidelity intelligence. Packing a huge and powerful radar with low-probability of intercept (LPI) capabilities, it also represented a huge leap in the ability to pair active radar with a stealthy platform.

Tacit Blue’s curved design was subsequently adopted by the YF-23 and the B-2 Spirit. Although only 21 B-2s were ever built from the late 1980s to 2000, the aircraft was groundbreaking at the time and much of it still remains highly classified.

Of course, stealth technology has proliferated to more recent crewed and uncrewed platforms operated by the various branches of the U.S. military, including the F-22 Raptor and F-35 stealth fighters, as well as RQ-170 Sentinel drones. Moreover, stealth technology will continue to feature in future U.S. military aircraft. At the center of the Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) ecosystem, a sixth-generation NGAD 'fighter' — designed to replace the F-22 — will likely be optimized for range, payload, and low-observability (stealth). The service expects to procure around 200 of those fighters, although the exact total is subject to change. The B-21 Raider, the direct successor to the B-2, features cutting-edge ‘broad band’ stealth capabilities far superior to the B-2 in order to penetrate or otherwise obviate enemy air defenses over vast distances. The unmanned aircraft that will work together with and independently of these aircraft will also feature various degrees of stealth technology.

With that said the “Pioneers of Stealth” memorial presents a fitting tribute to the history — and continuing legacy — of stealth technology.

The Government of the United States and the Government of Japan held the Extended Deterrence Dialogue (EDD) at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri on June 26-27, 2023. The United States and Japan established the EDD in 2010 as an enduring venue to discuss ways to sustain and strengthen extended deterrence, which is at the core of the U.S.-Japan Alliance. The Japanese side was co-chaired by Mr. MIYAMOTO Shingo, Deputy Director-General, North American Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Mr. ANDO Atsushi, Deputy Director-General, Defense Policy Bureau, Ministry of Defense. The U.S. side was co-chaired by Ms. Alexandra Bell, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, Department of State, and Mr. Richard Johnson, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear and Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Policy, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Department of Defense.

This EDD meeting contributed to further President Biden’s and Prime Minister Kishida’s shared commitment to strengthen extended deterrence. During the EDD, the United States and Japan held in-depth discussions on extended deterrence and consulted on measures to further enhance relevant bilateral cooperation. They shared assessments of the regional security environment, prospects for strategic arms control and risk reduction, reviewed conventional and U.S. nuclear capabilities contributing to regional deterrence, and highlighted the importance of optimizing the Alliance’s force posture and activities to bolster deterrence effectiveness.

The United States reiterated its commitment to increase the visibility of U.S. strategic assets in the region. The two sides will continue to explore avenues to deepen Alliance cooperation through improved information sharing, training, and exercises, including the use of table-top exercises, to further prepare the Alliance to defend against potential attacks and deter nuclear employment. Both sides also pledged to improve coordination and strengthen the Alliance’s capabilities and posture to adversary missile threats. Both sides discussed the importance of trilateral and multilateral cooperation to strengthen deterrence.

Furthermore, the two sides conducted a tabletop exercise, which has regularly been included in the EDD meeting agenda to discuss ways to coordinate Alliance deterrence efforts.

The delegations were briefed on the missions of Whiteman Air Force Base, experienced a B-2 flight simulator, and toured a B-2 strategic bomber and decommissioned Minuteman II launch control center.

via: https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3441646/joint-statement-on-us-japan-extended-deterrence-dialogue/

WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --

The 509th Bomb Wing welcomed U.S. Air Force Col. Keith Butler as its new commander during a change of command ceremony at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, June 21.

The change of command ceremony is a tradition representing a formal transfer of authority and responsibility for a unit from one commanding officer to another. The transfer of command is physically represented by handing the command flag, the tangible symbol of the unit, from the outgoing commander to the new one.

U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Andrew Gebara, Eighth Air Force commander, presided over the ceremony and commended outgoing commander U.S. Air Force Col. Daniel Diehl.

“It is such a pleasure to come home to Whiteman and officiate this ceremony today and to take part in a time-honoured tradition by saying farewell to Col. Daniel Diehl, the outbound commander, and welcome Col. Keith Butler, the incoming commander,” he said.

During his two years in command, Diehl led over 4,000 military and civilian personnel to provide strategic nuclear operations, global strike, and worldwide combat support as the Air Force’s only B-2 Spirit stealth bomber wing and directed the first ever B-2 Bomber Task Force deployments to Iceland and Australia.

“Col. Butler, I know under your leadership, the 509th, in partnership with the 131st, will maintain continued, unmatched strategic deterrence,” said Diehl. “Team Whiteman partners will continue to flourish, and our Airman will continue to take pride in the mission.”

Diehl also thanked the men and women of the 509th Bomb Wing, the 131st Bomb Wing, the 442nd Fighter Wing, the 20th Attack Squadron, the 1-135th Assault Helicopter Battalion, Whiteman AFB, and the local community for truly making this a memorable experience for him and his family.

Diehl is on his way to a new position with Air Force Global Strike Command at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.

Butler, a former 509th Operations Group commander, returns to Whiteman AFB from Edwards Air Force Base, California, where he commanded Detachment 5, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center.

“I stand here today as a deliberate result of mentorship and development,” said Butler, who began his Air Force career as an enlisted Airman before commissioning, becoming a pilot, and working his way up to commanding the 509th BW.

Butler will pick up where Diehl left off, commanding the nation’s sole B-2 Spirit mission and installation functions.

He said the 509th BW will continue the mission and will do so with confident, credible, competent character.

“Thank you again for a warm welcome home,” said Butler. “Diane and I look forward to serving Whiteman AFB once again, working with our mission partners, our industry partners, and our local community to ensure Whiteman remains a benchmark total force installation.”

Source: By Airman 1st Class Hailey Farell of 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs

WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo.

Airmen in the 509th Maintenance Squadron egress section tested a new process for removing ejector seats from the B-2 Spirit aircraft at Whiteman Air Force Base.

In the past, the 509th MXS Low Observable Flight would have to remove the materials that seal hatches to the jet, exposing fasteners so the egress section could take the hatches off the aircraft, allowing them to remove the seats.

One day, U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Marcus Sandifer, 509th MXS egress section non-commissioned officer in charge, said he was working to remove the ejector seats and wondered if there is a better way to do it and increase efficiency.

He spoke to the Air Force Engineering and Technical Services representative and asked if there had ever been a way to remove the seats without removing the hatches.

Sandifer learned that about ten years ago, engineers had done an analysis using drawings and determined that bringing the seats down the crew entry door was impossible.

Airmen at WAFB believed otherwise.

Before presenting the idea to their squadron leadership, the Airmen came up with basic step-by-step instructions on executing the task.

After getting support from leadership within the 509th Maintenance Group, Sandifer continued to gain support from leadership, including U.S. Air Force Col. Daniel Diehl, 509th Bomb Wing commander.

“Our Airmen did some proof-of-concept work to see if it was indeed possible,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Sean Christy, 509th MXS commander. “They put in the effort to test the theory and were able to get the seat out of the crew entry door, proving the concept works.”

The new method of bringing the seats out of the crew entry door saves about $21,000 in materials and resources.

“It’s valuable anytime we can avert low observable resources and the technician’s time towards making the aircraft better instead of facilitating maintenance,” said Christy. “There is no shortage of work for low observable technicians.”

Instead of the egress section taking 30 days to remove the seats from the aircraft, now they can do it in less than 10 days, said Christy.

“The teamwork of the Airmen and civilians who came together to bring the idea to fruition helps to bring different shops together and show how they can benefit from each other,” said Christy. “For example, this new concept was a lot of work for the egress section, and it helped save them and other shops a lot of time.”

After building mock-ups and using trainer seats to prove the idea works, Sandifer began with an engineer at Tinker Air Force Base to develop a technical order for the new seat removal process.

This innovation also came at an opportune time, as all the ejector seats will need to be replaced in the coming years.

“There is a new ejection seat coming soon,” Sandifer said. “This new process speeds up the process from about 40 days per jet to 20, cutting the overall replacement time from five years to less than two.”

Christy said this improved efficiency should cut down on maintenance time and increase the availability of the B-2 to support the 509th BW’s mission, ensuring global strike anytime, anywhere.

Source: By Airman 1st Class Hailey Farrell of 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs