America's B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber Can Destroy Any Target on Earth
While the U.S. Air Force’s upcoming B-21 stealth bomber deserves all the press it can get, aviation buffs and military experts alike will not forget the platform it is meant to replace. The B-2 Spirit has been flying the skies for over four decades now, serving as the U.S. military’s aerial nuclear deterrent. Although the mainstay of the service will eventually be replaced by next-generation technology, the Spirit remains a critical asset in ensuring America retains air superiority over its adversaries.
An overview of the Spirit
Up until the Cold War, the U.S. Air Force solely relied on its B-52 Stratofortress airframes as its primary strategic bombers. By the mid-1970s, however, engineers discovered a whole new method of evading missiles and interceptors alike: stealth. America’s pivot toward this new technology came as the Soviets were developing more sophisticated high-speed interceptors and surface-to-air missiles. In an effort to combat the USSR’s new capabilities, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) collaborated with U.S.-based aviation firms to ascertain the largest radar cross-section an aircraft could have while still remaining undetectable by enemy airframes.
Specs and capabilities
Although manufacturer Lockheed Martin had already fielded the A-12 and SR-71 by the 1970s, which both featured stealth characteristics, the Air Force ultimately went with the design put forth by Lockheed’s competitor, Northrop Grumman. Funded under the code “Aurora,” Northrop’s “Senior Ice” proposal was selected to become the service’s new bomber.
Equipped with the ability to fly all-altitude attack missions with long ranges, the Spirit can fly to virtually any point in the world within hours. Its notorious flying wing design makes the bomber undetectable to nearly all radar—at least at the time. The bomber’s low observability is derived from a combination of minimized electromagnetic, acoustic, infrared, visual, and radar signatures. Coupled with this level of stealth, the bomber’s armament capacity gives the Spirit its legendary status. The B-2 can carry up to 40,000 pounds of weaponry within two separate weapons bays positioned in the center of the aircraft. As a stealth bomber, the B-2 can carry both conventional and nuclear weaponry, as well as a litany of other munitions.
Throughout its service life, the Spirit has operated in multiple threat climates. From the 1999 Kosovo War to the War on Terror and Libya in 2011, these bombers have showcased their abilities well. Despite the Spirit’s honorable service history, the Air Force is retiring this platform more than a decade earlier than previously planned to focus its efforts on the next-generation B-21 Raider platform. The Raider is expected to serve as the Air Force’s stealthy battle manager and intelligence collector when in service down the line.
The United States certainly needs a next-generation bomber on the docket in order to counter Russia and China’s concurrent programs. However, the Air Force’s initial plans to only field 100 bombers may not be enough. Analysts are urging the service to increase the fleet to at least 150-200 units in order to maintain a competitive edge over the United States’ adversaries.
About the Author: Maya Carlin
Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin. Carlin has over 1,000 articles published over the last several years on various defense issues.
Image: Anatoliy Lukich / Shutterstock.com