$7 billion boost for ageing B‑2 Spirits as U.S. bolsters stealth fleet
The contract, awarded to Northrop Grumman, the manufacturer of the B-2, encompasses maintaining operational readiness, implementing various enhancements and software updates, and servicing the aircraft at their bases.
A recent "elephant walk," involving as many as 12 of these bombers, highlighted the significant part they play in military exercises and showcased the bulk of America's fleet of stealth strategic bombers.
B-2 Spirit – The Stealth Strategic Bomber
Developed during the final years of the Cold War, the first B-2 Spirit took flight in 1989. Despite initial plans for mass production, the changing geopolitical landscape and the dissolution of the Soviet Union led the U.S. to limit production to 21 units. Each unit's cost is estimated at $2 billion.
The B-2 is a flying-wing aircraft that uses extensive composite materials. Measuring 69 feet in length with a wingspan of 193 feet, its profile resembles a horizontally oriented teardrop. The design focuses on minimizing the aircraft's radar signature.
Weighing over 156,528 pounds, the B-2 can carry over 48,501 pounds of ordnance. Its operational range exceeds 2,485 miles, but with mid-air refuelling, it can operate globally from its Missouri base at Whiteman Air Force Base. Despite this global reach, the Pentagon sometimes deploys B-2s to other locations, such as the recent example of relocating three aircraft to Keflavik Air Base in Iceland.
