The U.S. Air Force Northrup B-2 Spirit or Stealth Bomber is a heavy penetration strategic bomber. It was introduced into service by the Air Force in 1997. It utilizes low observable stealth technology designed to penetrate enemy anti-aircraft defenses It is the only known stealth aircraft in the world that can carry large air-to-surface standoff weapons. The U.S. Air Force currently operates twenty B-2 bombers. Most of them are based at the Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri.
The B-2 was originally designed to fly missions against the Soviet Union. It was designed to eluded Soviet air defenses and strike at enemy targets before the enemy even knew that their air space had been penetrated. Stealth technology refers to the ability evade both low frequency "surveillance" radar which indicates that there are unknown aircraft in the area and the higher frequency "engagement" radar that can pinpoint the location of specific enemy planes. The B-2 can fly undetected into enemy territory and destroy enemy radar and air defense systems so that other planes can fly through the "corridor" that has been opened up and engage the enemy.
The B-2 is basically a flying wing that carries a crew of two on up to a forty hour mission. It can fly missions at up to fifty thousand feet and it has a range of almost seven thousand miles but can be refueled in flight for longer missions. It can carry up to forty thousand pounds of ordinance and deploy either conventional munitions and nuclear warheads.
Conventional weapons that are currently carried by the B-2 include the Mark 82 and Mark 84 bombs, CBU-87 Combined Effects Munitions, GATOR mines and the CBU-97 Sensor Fuzed Weapon, GBU-28 five thousand pound Bunker Busters, two thousand pound Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMS), five thousand pound JDAMS, Joint Standoff Weapons, Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles, and a thirty thousand pound bomb known as the Massive Ordnance Penetrator and other munitions.
The B-2 can also carry nuclear weapons such as the B-61 Mods 3, 4, 7 and 10. The B-61 is a variable yield nuclear bomb in the range of three hundred tons of TNT to three hundred and forty thousand tons of TNT depending on the Mod number. B-61 bombs in various configurations are deployed today along with the B-2 bombers.
The B-61 Mod 12 is a new version of the B-61 bomb that is going to incorporate all the prior versions into one bomb which can have its yield set to different values as needed. A guided tail kit is being added to the B-61 and it will have an inertial guidance system for navigation. This will allow much more accurate targeting. The B-61 will be added to the B-2 arsenal. The B-2 will also be upgraded with the B-61 Mod 11 which is a nuclear bomb designed with penetration capability to hit buried targets. A Long Range Standoff Weapon called the LRSO which is an air-launched, guided missile is also being added to the B-2.
The electronics of the B-2 are also being upgraded. Systems to detect enemy surveillance systems are being added. High-bandwidth satellite communication systems are be incorporated. B-2 will be able to communicate directly with drones operating in the theater of war. The Air Force intends to employ B-2 until 2050.
B-2 Spirit stealth bomber:
