B2 Bombers

Extracted Attributes

• Crew

  Two (pilot and mission commander)

• Type

  Heavy strategic bomber

• Design

  Subsonic flying wing

• Height

  17 feet

• Length

  69 feet

• Payload

  Greater than 40,000 lbs

• Wingspan

  172 feet

• Top Speed

  High subsonic

• Technology

  Low-observable stealth technology

• Power Plant

  Four General Electric F118-GE-100 turbofans

• Combat Ceiling

  50,000 feet (15,000 m)

• Refueled Range

  More than 10,000 nautical miles (19,000 km; 12,000 mi) with one midair refueling

• Unrefueled Range

  More than 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km; 6,900 mi)

• Thrust per engine

  17,300 lbs

• Total Aircraft Produced

  21

• Nuclear Weapons Capacity

  Up to sixteen 2,400-pound B83 nuclear bombs

• Maximum Gross Takeoff Weight

  336,500 lbs

• Conventional Weapons Capacity

  Up to eighty 500-pound Mk 82 JDAM GPS-guided bombs

• Current Number in Service (2024)

  19

• Average Building Cost per Aircraft

  $737 million

• Average Cost per Aircraft (including development)

  $2.13 billion (approximately $4.17 billion in 2024)

Timeline

• Development began under the Advanced Technology Bomber (ATB) project during the Carter administration. (Source: Summary)

  1977

• Production of the B-2 Spirit began. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1988

• The B-2 Spirit entered service as the second aircraft designed with advanced stealth technology. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1997

• First used in combat during the Kosovo War, dropping conventional ordnance. (Source: Summary)

  1999-03-24

• Production of the B-2 Spirit concluded. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2000

• One B-2 aircraft was destroyed in a crash. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2008

• Another B-2 aircraft was damaged in a crash and likely retired from service. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2022

• B-2 bombers were used in a surprise attack on Iran’s Fordow nuclear enrichment plant (as per a YouTube video snippet, likely a hypothetical or future event discussed). (Source: Web Search Results)

  2025-06-24

• Planned retirement date for the B-2s, to be replaced by the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider. (Source: Summary)

  2032

Northrop B-2 Spirit

The Northrop B-2 Spirit is an American heavy strategic bomber that uses low-observable stealth technology to penetrate sophisticated anti-aircraft defenses. It is often referred to as a stealth bomber. A subsonic flying wing with a crew of two, the B-2 was designed by Northrop (later Northrop Grumman) as the prime contractor, with Boeing, Hughes, and Vought as principal subcontractors. It was produced from 1988 to 2000. The bomber can drop conventional and thermonuclear weapons, such as up to eighty 500-pound class (230 kg) Mk 82 JDAM GPS-guided bombs, or sixteen 2,400-pound (1,100 kg) B83 nuclear bombs. The B-2 is the only acknowledged in-service aircraft that can carry large air-to-surface standoff weapons in a stealth configuration. Development began under the Advanced Technology Bomber (ATB) project during the Carter administration, which cancelled the Mach 2-capable B-1A bomber in part because the ATB showed such promise, but development difficulties delayed progress and drove up costs. Ultimately, the program produced 21 B-2s at an average cost of $2.13 billion each (~$4.17 billion in 2024), including development, engineering, testing, production, and procurement. Building each aircraft cost an average of US$737 million, while total procurement costs (including production, spare parts, equipment, retrofitting, and software support) averaged $929 million (~$1.11 billion in 2023) per plane. The project's considerable capital and operating costs made it controversial in the U.S. Congress even before the winding down of the Cold War dramatically reduced the desire for a stealth aircraft designed to strike deep in Soviet territory. Consequently, in the late 1980s and 1990s lawmakers shrank the planned purchase of 132 bombers to 21. The B-2 can perform attack missions at altitudes of up to 50,000 feet (15,000 m); it has an unrefueled range of more than 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) and can fly more than 10,000 nautical miles (19,000 km; 12,000 mi) with one midair refueling. It entered service in 1997 as the second aircraft designed with advanced stealth technology, after the Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk attack aircraft. Primarily designed as a nuclear bomber, the B-2 was first used in combat to drop conventional, non-nuclear ordnance in the Kosovo War in 1999. It was later used in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, and Iran. The United States Air Force has nineteen B-2s in service as of 2024. One was destroyed in a 2008 crash, and another was likely retired from service after being damaged in a crash in 2022. The Air Force plans to operate the B-2s until 2032, when the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider is to replace them.

Web Search Results

• B-2 Technical Details - Northrop Grumman

  Type: Strategic, long-range heavy bomber with low-observable technology and all-altitude capability to penetrate the most sophisticated air defenses in nuclear and conventional missions Power Plant: Four General Electric F118-GE-100 turbofans, each 17,300 lbs. thrust. Crew: Two (pilot and mission commander) Wingspan: 172 feet Length: 69 feet Height: 17 feet Top Speed: High subsonic Combat Ceiling: 50,000 feet [...] Northrop Grumman Corporation Logo # B-2 Technical Details military aircraft taking off ## B-2 Technical Details [...] Range: 6,000 nautical miles (unrefueled) 10,000 nautical miles with one refueling Payload: > 40,000 lbs. Maximum Gross Takeoff Weight: 336,500 lbs.

• B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber - Northrop Grumman

  #### The U.S. Air Force's B-2 stealth bomber is a key component of the nation's long-range strike arsenal, and one of the most survivable aircraft in the world. Its unique stealth characteristics allow it to penetrate the most sophisticated enemy defenses. ## Pioneering Stealth Technology Spirit of Stealth: 35 Years of B-2 Airpower B-2 Bomber in flight ### 10 Cool Facts about the B-2 [...] Many people consider the B-2 an engineering marvel and one of the finest examples of American air superiority. Northrop Grumman is the B-2 prime contractor leading an industry team that works with the Air Force to modernize the B-2. We're ensuring that it remains fully mission capable against evolving worldwide threats. [...] ## B-2 Technical Details Learn about the strategic, long-range heavy bomber with low-observable technology. The B-2 has all-altitude capability to penetrate the most sophisticated air defenses in nuclear and conventional missions. ## Stay Connected Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Twitter-X YouTube Threads ## Stories Hooked on Aerospace ### Hooked on Aerospace Sustaining and Advancing Military Satellite Communications ### Sustaining and Advancing Military Satellite Communications

• Secrets of the B-2 bomber: What you didn't know about ... - YouTube

  New York Post 1994 likes 164806 views 24 Jun 2025 The B-2 bombers used in a surprise attack on Iran’s Fordow nuclear enrichment plant on Saturday have left the world itching to know more about the stealth aircraft. The fleet of advanced American bombers — originally designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union, is among the military’s most impressive engineering marvels. Here are 10 surprising facts about one of the US Air Force’s most secretive planes. #b2bomber #iran #fordow #planes [...] # Secrets of the B-2 bomber: What you didn’t know about the Air Force’s most classified planes [...] The New York Post is your source for breaking news, news about New York, sports, business, entertainment, opinion, real estate, culture, fashion, and more. Subscribe to New York Post Sports: Get The Post’s latest headlines everyday with our Morning Report newsletter: Catch the latest news at Follow The New York Post on: Twitter - Facebook - 175 comments

• How Stealth Bombers Work - Science | HowStuffWorks

  Advertisement # How Stealth Bombers Work Stealth Bomber Plane in Flight Stealth Bomber Plane in Flight ­The B-2 bomber, commonly known as the stealth bomber, was an ambitious project, to say the least. In the 1970s, the U.S. military wanted a replacement for the aging B-52 bomber. They needed a plane that could carry nuclear bombs across the globe, to the Soviet Union, in only a few hours. And they wanted it to be nearly invisible to enemy sensors. [...] Advertisement In this article, we'll find out how the B-2 flies and how it "vanishes." We'll also look at the plane's major weapons systems and learn a little about its history. Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks.com article: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement

• Why This $2 Billion B‑2 Stealth Bomber Has NO TAIL - YouTube

  The B‑2 Spirit stealth bomber is one of the most advanced military aircraft ever built—but why does it have no vertical tail fin? In this video, we break down the hidden engineering behind the flying wing design, how it avoids radar detection, and why stealth technology made the tail obsolete. [...] We explore how the B‑2 stays airborne without traditional stabilizers, using fly-by-wire systems, split rudders, and advanced flight computers. You’ll also learn how its shape and materials reduce radar cross-section, making it nearly invisible to enemy air defenses. 🔍 In this video, we cover: – Why the B‑2 Spirit has no tail – How stealth aircraft avoid radar – The science of flying wing aircraft – How fly-by-wire systems stabilize unstable designs – How the B‑21 Raider will replace the B‑2 [...] If you're into military aviation, stealth bombers, and cutting-edge aerospace technology, this video is for you. #houthis #military #aircraft