The B-2 Spirit, otherwise more colloquially known as the “flying wing,” is a marvel of modern military aviation. Jointly developed between Northrop Grumman, it is not only the world’s most expensive airplane at over $2 billion per unit but also among the most advanced and stealth bombers ever created.
This made Northrop Grumman invent everything from scratch to make it happen: it fabricated new tools, created a software lab, made composite materials, special test equipment, and state-of-the-art 3-D modeling and computer systems. Also, its manufacturing processes were made differently to meet the requirements of this revolutionary aircraft.
The B-2 has been instrumental in various military operations. During Operation Allied Force, the first combat sortie over Kosovo flew less than 1 percent of the total sorties but destroyed 33 percent of the targets in the first eight weeks of the operation. Due to such capabilities of penetrating adversary airspace undetected, this aircraft has become indispensable in such conflicts as Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Arguably the most impressive feat of the B-2 is a record for the longest air combat mission in history. On 23 October 2001, Spirit of America and five other B-2s flew a 44-hour-long mission deep into Afghan airspace for a quick 45-minute pit stop to swap out crews and services before flying back to Missouri; it totaled over 70 consecutive hours of flight.
The B-2 is also a darling in Hollywood, too, having flown onto the big screen in blockbuster hits “Independence Day,” “Iron Man 2,” and “Captain Marvel,” among many other movies, because of its quirky silhouette and flying wing design.
Northrop Grumman continues developing new capabilities for the B-2. Every seven years, each aircraft is withdrawn from service for an extensive PDM program including completely refurbishing the exterior surface finishes as well as software engineering and testing. Last year, the Spirit of Pennsylvania went through such a program and became the first B-2 to carry the insignia of the newly established Global Strike Command.
It has a length of 69 feet, a height of 17 feet, and a wingspan of 172 feet. The aircraft flies at high subsonic speeds and above 50,000 feet altitude. Due to its intercontinental range, the B-2 will be able to cover 6,000 nautical miles without refuel and 10,000 nautical miles with only one aerial refuel, hence it can reach any point on the globe in a matter of hours.
The flying wing concept is essentially the body of the aircraft being part of the wing itself, having been considered since pre-World War I aviation both in Germany and in the Soviet Union. This shape of the aircraft, along with radar-absorbing material, provides for stealth capabilities intrinsic to this bomber. Taken together, these factors render the B-2 all but invisible to radar.
It’s rapidly nearing middle age, yet the B-2 remains at the heart of the US Air Force’s strategic bombing capability. The B-21 Raider is already well into development and should finally start entering service after 2025. It would take advantage of state-of-the-art technologies not dreamed of when conceptual work on the B-2 began, way back over forty years ago.
The B-2 Spirit has remained the symbol of American military prowess, integrating advanced technology with a network unmatched by stealth. Its legacy does not lie in the level of combat the aircraft have seen but also in its deterrent role, able to deliver both conventional and nuclear payloads anywhere in the world.