When the
Northrop B-2 Spirit was rolled out of its hangar and first shown to the world on
November 22, 1988 expressions such as “futuristic” and “otherworldly” were used
to describe it. These were coincidentally the same terms used to describe Northrop’s
revolutionary YB-49 flying wing bomber of 1947.
The B-2
Spirit “stealth” aircraft is a strategic long range heavy bomber whose all
altitude, low observable stealth technology gives it the capability to
penetrate the world’s most sophisticated air defences. Conceived during the
Cold War, the B-2 was designed to slip though enemy radar defences without
being detected and then drop up to 16 B83 nuclear bombs on key targets. Its first
flight was July 17, 1989.
The B-2’s
low visibility is derived from a combination of reduced infrared, acoustic,
electromagnetic, visual and radar signatures. These signatures make it
difficult for even the most sophisticated
defensive systems to detect, track
and engage the B-2. While many aspects of the aircraft’s low visibility remain
classified, the B-2’s composite graphite epoxy materials, special coatings
(such as radar absorbent paint on its leading edge) and flying wing design are
all know to contribute to its “stealthiness”. 
The B-2’s
low visibility means that it does not need a fleet of support aircraft
(jammers, anti-radar aircraft or fighter escort aircraft) to accomplish a
mission and its large payload allows it to do the work of many smaller attack
aircraft. The revolutionary blending of low operability technologies with high
aerodynamic efficiency and large payload gives the B-2 important advantages
over existing bombers. Its low visibility gives it greater freedom of action at
high altitudes, thus increasing its range and providing a better field of view
for aircraft’s top secret sensor. The Us Air Force has published a
representative mission scenario showing that B-2’s armed with precision weapons
can do the job that 75 conventional aircraft would normally be required to
carry out.
The B-2 has
a crew of two a pilot in the left seat and mission commander in the right, so
only four crew members at put at risk in mission compared to 132 in the
conventional.
Capable of
delivering both conventional and nuclear munitions, the B-2 brings massive
firepower to bear in a short time anywhere on the globe though previously
impenetrable defences, and threatens its most valued and heavily defended
targets. The unrefueled range of the B-2 is approximately 6000 nautical miles and
10,000 nautical miles with just one aerial refuelling.
The B-2
made its combat debut on March 24, 1999 as part of Operation Allied Force when
two aircraft dropped 2000lb joint direct attack munitions (JDAM) on Serbian
targets during a marathon 31 hour, non stop mission from Whiterman Air Force
Base in Missouri, USA. The combination of its all
weather precision capability and the aircraft’s ability to penetrate lethal
defences put the enemy’s high value fixed targets at risk. Over the course of
Operation Allied Force, 45 B-2 sorties by a total of six aircraft delivered 656
JDAM on critical targets in the then Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
The B-2 was responsible for destroying 33% of all Serbian targets in the first
eight weeks.
During
Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan,
the B-2 flew a total six mission on the first 3 days of war. Each sortie took
70 hours, including the flight to Afghanistan a turn around at Diego
Garcia for a new crew and the flight back to Whiterman Air Force Base, home of
B-2.
The B-2
also participated in the Iraq War in 2003 carried more than 50 operations. In
March 2011 intervened in Libya and more recently on March 28, 2013 two B-2 were
sent to South Korea to participate in a joint maneuvers USA and South Korea by
the tension between North Korea and South Korea.
This
remarkable aircraft each costing around 1.2 billion US dollar, gives the USA
the edge over potential enemies whose targets, if detectable can without doubt
be attacked by the *21 B-2 of the US Air Force.
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