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
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...
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