What is the B-2 Spirit? The legendary stealth flying wing bomber of the United States.
Technical Specifications
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | Flying wing stealth strategic bomber |
| Manufacturer | Northrop Grumman |
| Crew | 2 (pilot + co-pilot) |
| Length | 21 m |
| Wingspan | 52.4 m |
| Maximum Takeoff Weight | ≈170,600 kg |
| Engines | 4 × General Electric F118-GE-100 turbofan engines |
| Thrust | 4 × 17,300 lbf |
| Maximum Speed | ≈Mach 0.95 |
| Range | ≈11,000 km (unlimited with aerial refueling) |
| Service Ceiling | 15,000 m |
| Ammunition | 16 × B61/B83 nuclear bombs or 80 × 500 lb or 16 × 2,000 lb JDAM or 2 × GBU-57 MOP (13,600 kg) |
| Stealth | Flying wing + radar absorbent material — RCS ≈ 0.1 m² |
| Production | 1989-2000 (21 units) |
| Service | 1997+ |
| Retirement | Target 2032 (to be replaced by B-21) |
Operational History
- First flight in 1989, entered service in 1997
- 1999 Kosovo, 2001 Afghanistan, 2003 Iraq — first deployment
- 2011 Libya — NATO operation
- 2024 Yemen — dropping heavy bombs on Houthi positions
- GBU-57 MOP — 13,600 kg bunker buster bomb
- 2008 Guam accident — lost the Kansas Spirit
- Maintenance in dedicated climate-controlled hangars before each flight
