Here's What Makes The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit One Of America's Best Stealth Bombers

When one thinks of a stealth aircraft, perhaps nothing comes to mind more than the sleek form factor of America's B-2 Spirit stealth bomber. Developed and manufactured by Northrop Grumman, the first flight for this iconic step in aeronautic technology occurred in the late 80s and would spark a long legacy of stealth combat from the U.S. Air Force.

More than just a recognizable design, however, the B-2 bomber has stood the test of time over three decades after it was first delivered to the Air Force. It remains one of the world's most impressive aeronautic feats, introducing cutting-edge stealth technology and setting airborne combat records.

Though the B-2 is arguably the most recognizable stealth bomber in history, you may be surprised to learn that the technology and development that went behind manufacturing this most feared of the aircraft surprisingly started in the 1970s as a response to tensions during the Cold War.

Tacit Blue, a highly classified DARPA project, spurred research on an aircraft that was undetectable by enemy radar. The plane, powered by dual Garrett ATF3-6 turbofan engines, would go on to serve as the foundation for the high-level hardware that would eventually make its way into the B-2.

Unlike planes of the past, such as the F-117 Nighthawk, which had faceted surfaces, Tacit Blue proved that a stealthy aircraft could have curved surfaces, a design choice that is very clear in the B-2 body, as well as other stealth planes developed more recently — like the controversial F-35 Lightning II.

In 1976, the DARPA contract to develop what would become the Tacit Blue was awarded to Northrop Grumman, and, by 1982, the new stealth aircraft would have its first flight. Three years later, the experimental prototype and predecessor to the B-2 completed 135 test flights, which brought about the next generation of stealth jets with the B-2 Spirit.

The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit made its first flight on July 17, 1989, from Edwards Air Force Base in California, home to the Armstrong Flight Research Center. The organization is also responsible for NASA's experimental X-Plane program. In December 1993, the first B-2, called "Spirit of Missouri," was officially delivered.

The two-crew B-2 Spirit bomber was a massive leap forward in technology, specifically aeronautics. Its most famous feature is its stealth or "low observable" capabilities. Made of specialized composite materials, the B-2 features a combination of reduced infrared, electromagnetic, acoustic, visual, and radar signatures to be nearly undetectable by even the most sophisticated defense systems, according to the Air Force.

In addition to giving it its sleek matte look, the special coating and flying-wing design also contribute to its near-invisibility. Its stabilization and control systems, along with flaps on notched wings, afforded in-flight mobility for the B-2, with certain aspects of the B-2's technology remaining classified to this day.

Though the stealth aspects are what make the B-2 Spirit initially stand out, what makes it truly one of the best stealth bombers of all time is the leaps it took with its range and munitions-carrying capabilities.

As the B-2 was developed during the time of the Cold War, it possesses the capability to carry immense payloads, including nuclear weapons. Able to carry up to 40,000 pounds, the B-2 can fly an astounding 6,000 nautical miles before refueling.

The B-2 uses four General Electric F118-GE-100 engines, which ultimately generate 17,300 pounds thrust. Weighing 160,000 pounds and boasting a 172-foot-long wingspan, the bomber can hit subsonic speeds and cruise at an elevation of 50,000 feet.

Unsurprisingly, this technological marvel is also the most expensive plane ever built, costing up to $2.13 billion per B-2, according to the most recent estimates. Though the original plan was to manufacture 132 bombers, the Cold War's conclusion led to the production of just 20 total, which are continue to operate today.

As a result of the B-2's capability to carry heavy payloads over vast distances, it holds the record for the longest air combat mission in history. This record-setting mission happened in October 2001, when six B-2s flew a 44-hour mission as part of Operation Enduring Freedom following the 9/11 attacks.

During the mission, the pilots departed from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. From there, the planes would make the incredibly long journey to Afghanistan, refueling along the Pacific before finally making their bombing runs over the country.

By the end of the mission, American B-2s had successfully struck key Taliban and al Qaeda radar installations, airfields, and training camps with its satellite-guided Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM), as the bombers flew high over enemy targets, undetectable by the enemy's comparatively rudimentary radar.

Paired with Navy-launched Tomahawk missile strikes, Taliban strongholds were taken out, making way for American and allied armed forces to enter.

While the 2001 operation was the longest aerial combat mission in history, it certainly isn't the only time that the B-2 has been deployed. In fact, the bomber has one of the most successful combat records in history.

The first time the B-2 proved its operational mettle was during Operation Allied Force, also known as the Kosovo Air Campaign, where NATO forces came together in 1999 to stop humanitarian abuses occurring in Kosovo.

During that conflict, B-2 bombers would fly from Missouri to Kosovo and were ultimately responsible for destroying a third of all Serbian targets during their first two months of NATO intervention. But they only participated in one percent of total missions during the conflict.

B-2s would also be used in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The planes, once again departing from Whiteman Air Force Base, dropped more than 1.5 million pounds of munitions over the country.

The B-2 has received several updates, with the latest enhancement occurring as recently as August 2023, when Northrop Grumman rolled out its new integrated airborne mission transfer system (IAMT), which improves the ship's communications capabilities.

In August 2022, the B-2 successfully tested its Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile–Extended Range (JASSM-ER) and Radar Aided Targeting System (RATS), which enables the B-2 to employ the B-61 mod 12 thermonuclear bomb — a rather scary prospect dubbed as "nuclear deterrence."

That said, everything hasn't been smooth sailing with the aging bomber, as a December 2022 fire onboard a B-2 Spirit led to five months of safety inspections and grounding for the stealth jet. This followed another incident where a B-2's landing gear failed, costing the Air Force $10 million.

Though the branch plans to use the B-2 for at least the next decade, it will eventually be replaced by Northrop Grumman's sixth generation of long-range nuclear-capable stealth bombers, the B-21 Raider. The Raider recently took its first flight in November 2023 and is expected to enter service in the mid-2020s.