Cleavage Classroom: Facts Trivia B-2 Stealth Bomber Spirit Weapon Technology History Chive (55 HQ Photos)

Silent B-2 Stealth Bomber FACTs

Welcome to late night Cleavage Classroom…

The B-2 Stealth Bomb a.k.a. “Spirit” just looks futuristic.

Every angle of the aircraft is simply interesting.

…and the Spirit can even look beautiful.

If you ever experience one flying over-head, then you’ll understand what I mean.

Let’s look at some facts about one of America’s most guarded weapons.

Let’s begin with, who was the President at the beginning of the B-2 program?

The B-2 program was started during the Carter administration in the late 1970s.

The B-2 Spirit’s first flight was on July 17, 1989…two years before the first Persian Gulf War.

The B-2 is the only acknowledged aircraft to carry air-to-surface standoff weapons in a stealth platform.

Bomber loading crews practice on a 67×48-ft. Replica of the B-2.

It’s a pretty amazing mock-up located at Whiteman Air Force Base.

They can train to pack in smaller bombs all the way up to nukes.

From the 2 internal bomb bays, it can hold an estimated max of 50,000-lbs of BOOMs.

Configurations include:
• 80× 500 lb class bombs (Mk-82, GBU-38) mounted on Bomb Rack Assembly (BRA)
• 36× 750 lb CBU class bombs on BRA
• 16× 2,000 lb class bombs (Mk-84, GBU-31) mounted on Rotary Launcher Assembly (RLA)
• 16× B61 or B83 nuclear bombs on RLA (strategic mission)
• Standoff weapon: AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) and AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM)

During the mid-1970s, several projects were underway to replace the aging B-52 Stratofortress, including the B-70 (pictured below) and B-1A.

The B-70 and B-1A were designed to fly above and beyond interceptor aircraft, however, stealth technology was quickly becoming a real possibility, and B-2 program was launched in pursuit of a true stealth bomber.

Northrop was selected to produce the B-2. Their previous experience building the YB-35 and YB-49 aircraft helped them win the project.

Yep, the “Flying Wing” was developed right after WW2.

The original B-2 aircraft cost was projected to be $737 million per aircraft but…

…when coupled with maintenance and support, each aircraft was valued at $2.1 billion.

Because of creeping costs, and the collapse of the Soviet Union, the original plan of producing 132 bombers was reduced to 21.

B-2 project delays during the 1980s caused the B-1 program to be restarted.

The new B-1B Lancer program had a new mission: fly close to the ground, and mask the aircraft with surrounding terrain.

Its curved exposed surfaces are designed to deflect radar.

This technique reportedly has a radar cross-section of 1.1 square feet.
The B-2 was designed using a technique known as “continuous curvature.”

How stealth is that?
That’s about the same size as a pigeon.

The first combat use of the B-2 was in the Kosovo War in 1999.

Although the B-2 only flew 50 sorties out of a reported 34,000 during the conflict.

However, during the Kosovo War the Spirits delivered 11 percent of all the bombs.

The B-2 costs $135,000 an hour to operate, making it roughly twice as expensive to operate as the B-52 or B-1.

The B-2 has a reported range of 6,000 nautical miles, and refuels approximately every six hours.

The B-2 has nearly all the amenities to stay in the air for long periods of time. It has a bed, a toilet, and hot plate to prepare food.

It also has space for a third pilot if needed.

One crew member can sleep at a time on long missions, reducing fatigue for round-the-clock missions.

Because of its inherent instability, the B-2 has a quadruple fly-by-wire flight control system.

The B-2 uses split brake-rudders and differential thrust to maneuver (flaps near edge of wings).

This helps keep its radar cross-section low, even when the aircraft is maneuvering.

Its engines are buried in the wing, concealing fan blades from radar and minimizing the engine’s heat signature from infrared tracking systems.

The B-2 supports its 376,000 pound max takeoff weight with a 172 foot wingspan. That’s getting close to 2/3s of a football field, yet only bird sized radar signature.

It’s the only acknowledged stealth bomber in the world.

B-2’s may not be cheap but I’d rather America have ‘em than our enemies.
If you ever get to see one do a fly-by, you’ll truly view them with some good ol’ pride. -Rick

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