The B-2 Spirit has been the very image of the stealth, stamina, and strategic firepower of the U.S. Air Force for decades. It has drastically altered the way airpower could be projected worldwide by performing everything from transoceanic flights to missions that could penetrate even the most advanced security systems. Though a new generation of bombers is coming, the B-2’s legacy is still impressive, and its input is still unforgettable.
The maiden flight of the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider, the successor of the B-2, was in November 2023. Designed for more stealth, flexibility, and the option to be flown unmanned or manned, the Raider is going to take over the B-2’s tasks little by little. The Air Force intends to buy about 100 of these new bombers, which will be equipped with long-range strike abilities as well as modern sensors, networked systems, and both conventional and nuclear payload options.
Making the B-2 was definitely not a walk in the park. Northrop Grumman did not simply assemble an aircraft; in addition, they had to come up with the production methods to fabricate it. Almost all of the airframe is made from carbon fiber composites, and it has more than 10,000 individual parts, which gives it the necessary strength to absorb radio waves at the same time.
In the 1980s and ’90s, this called for the use of custom-built machinery and cutting-edge 3D modeling methods. Today, composite fabrication is common and even taught in universities, but it was revolutionary at the time.
Simply put, the B-2 has always been about endurance. The cockpit, designed for both operational efficiency and basic livability, can accommodate missions that can last up to almost 44 hours and requires just two pilots for control. Behind the seats, the pilots have their sleeping quarters, a little kitchen with a microwave and a fridge, and a small toilet. The selection of the crew is not only based on the skills of flying the plane; they must also be able to operate in harmony under stressful conditions in a small place where teamwork is key to mission success.
The price of the B-2 is a clear reflection of its intricacy and high technology. With each aircraft rated at over $2 billion, and the cost of a flight operation often over $135,000, it is the most expensive plane in the world. The maintenance is also very demanding: the crew basically spends 36 hours doing very detailed work after every mission, and the skin that absorbs the radar has to be kept in special hangars with very strict temperature control. Despite all the care, the average rate that the fleet is ready for use is about 50%, which points out the problem that the bombers are facing in being at their best performance when it is time for them to be sent on a mission.
The weaponry of the B-2 is also very amazing. To the extent of 40,000 pounds of explosive matter in two internal bomb bays, the aircraft can be loaded with precision-guided bombs, nuclear weapons, and the one-of-a-kind 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, which is capable of going through 200 feet of heavily reinforced concrete. As a result, the spacecraft becomes unparalleled in targeting vigorous underground bunkers that humans can’t get through.
Ground-breaking as the range is, the B-2 could do without a refuel roughly 6,000 nautical miles, which means practically the whole globe, and via refueling, it would be able to get to anyplace en route extremely fast. Its very famous flight is still the 44-hour combat sortie to Afghanistan in 2001, the longest in history, but it has also flown operational missions in Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, and Iran.
The stealth of the aircraft is a result of the balance of its shape and the materials used. The B-2’s flying wing design, carbon-graphite skin, titanium parts, and buried engines are all working together to minimize the radar, infrared, acoustic, and contrail signatures. At high altitudes, its radar cross-section is roughly that of a seabird; thus, it can easily bypass even the most advanced detection systems.
The moment that defined the B-2 was its participation in Operation Midnight Hammer. Seven bombers loaded with Missouri-shot nuclear guts headed for Iran’s ultra-fortified nuclear bunkers at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The F-15 bombers carried out their strike with support from 125 aircraft and a submarine firing Tomahawk missiles.
In just 25 minutes, the B-2s dropped 14 bunker-busting bombs at these nuclear facilities. Iran’s defenses miserably failed to react, a demonstration of the Spirit’s remarkable power to break through the most heavily defended airspace in the world and confirming its place in aviation history.