B-2 bomber

Statement

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Developmenthistory

Developmentbackground

Inthe1970s,whentheColdWarwasinfullswing,theSovietUnionvigorouslydevelopedvariousmedium-andlong-rangeairdefensemissilesandhigh-altitudehigh-speedhomelandAirdefenseinterceptors,suchasS-200(NATOcodename:Sam-5)medium-highaltitudeultra-long-rangesurface-to-airmissiles,S-300(NATOcodename:Sam-10)all-airspaceairdefensemissilesystemsandMiG-25/31High-altitudesupersonicinterceptionfighters,etc.InordertocovertlybreakthroughtheSovietairdefensenetwork,findanddestroytheSovietUnion’sintercontinentalballisticnuclearmissilelaunchbaseandotherimportantstrategictargets,theUSAirForceproposedtobuildanewstrategicbomber,emphasizingdefensepenetrationcapabilitiesandrequiringtheabilitytoavoidairdefenses.Radardetection,diveintothedepthoftheenemy,andcompletethemissionwithan80%successrate.Tothisend,theAirForcedraftedthe"SaberPenetrator"plan,andincludedtheapplicationofstealthtechnologyonthespecificagenda.

Constructionhistory

Planconfirmed

InAugust1975,theUSDepartmentofDefenseAdvancedResearchProjectsAgency(DARPA)invitedLockheed,BoeingandNorthropprovidepreliminaryengineeringdataforalow-detectabilityaircraft.BecausetheprototypesubmittedbyLockheednotlongagowaswellreceived,theAirForcehandedoverthecontractfortheproductionoftheF-117stealthfightertothiscompany.Withtheproductionofstealthfighters,theU.S.DepartmentofDefenseandcongressionaldignitariesbegantoaccepttheconceptof"stealthbombers",andin1977formallyapprovedtheAirForce’sapplicationforthedevelopmentofthisaircraft.In1978,theCarteradministrationsecretlyauthorizedthelaunch.ThestealthbomberprojectisnamedAdvancedTechnologyBomber(ATB).ThisistheoriginalnameoftheB-2stealthstrategicbomber.ItaimstodevelopabomberthatcanreplacetheB-1A.

Theplanisannounced

InSeptember1980,theUSAirForceissuedtheATBRequestforProposal(RFP),duetothecostandtechnicalaspectsoftheproject.Severechallenges,sotheAirForceencouragescooperationbetweenaerospacecompanies.Sotherearetwomajorcompetingcamps-LockheedandRockwellteams,Northrop,BoeingandLing-Temko-Water(LTV)teams.ThesituationchangedafterPresidentReaganwaselectedonJanuary20,1981.TheReaganadministrationincreaseditsdefenseinvestment,enoughtosupportseveralmilitaryresearchprojects,includingnewstrategicbombers.OnOctober2,1981,PresidentReaganannouncedthestartoftheStrategicModernizationProject(SMP),purchasing100B-1Bs.TheATBwasalsosecretlydevelopedaspartoftheSMP.Atthattime,thetotaldemandwasexpectedtoreach132aircraft.OnlyafewinsidersknewthattheU.S.AirForcewasdevelopingtwostrategicbombersatthesametime.

Designconfirmed

Northrop'sprogramcodeis"SeniorIce"(SeniorIce,thesecretwordhasnospecificmeaning),Lockheed'sprogramcode"SeniorPeg"(SeniorPeg)."PremiumDiamonds"ishostedbyWilcoE.Gasic,SeniorVicePresidentofNorthropAdvancedPlanning,andtheplanningdirectorisHalMarkalyan.Lockheed/Rockwell’s"advancednail"programhasnotdisclosedmuchinformation,butinviewofLockheed’sachievementsinstealthtechnologyatthattimeandRockwell’sexperienceintheB-1project,itisgenerallybelievedthatTheteamwillwinthecompetition.However,onOctober20,1981,theU.S.AirForceannouncedthatNorthropwasthewinneroftheATBcontract,theaircraftnumberedB-2,andsignedaninitialcontractfor6testflightaircraftandtwostatictestaircraft,plus127productionbombers.Theintentiontoorder,planstoachieveinitialoperationalcapability(IOC)in1987.

Inthedivisionoflaborbetweenthethreecompanies,Northropisresponsibleformanufacturingthefrontcenterfuselageandcockpit,thefrontandrearedgesoftheaircraft,andthecontrolwingsurface.Itisalsoresponsibleforthefinalassemblyandoverallcoordinationoftheplan.Boeingisresponsibleformanufacturingtherearcenterfuselageandbombbay,aswellastheouterwingsectionandlandinggear.LTVisresponsibleformanufacturingthemid-wingsectionandtailnozzlesincludingtheenginecompartment(LTVwaslateracquiredbyNorthropGrumman).ThefinalassemblywascarriedoutatYard4oftheU.S.AirForcePlant42inPalmdale,California.

Buildquantity

Technicalfeatures

Modelstructure

ThefinalNorthropdesignisapureflyingwing,noverticaltailorrudder,Fromabove,theB-2lookslikealargeboomerang.TheoutlineoftheplanviewofB-2consistsof12straightlinesparalleltoeachother.Theleadingedgeofthewingisparalleltothetrailingedgeofthewingandthewingtipontheotherside.Themiddlepartoftheaircraftisraisedtoaccommodatethecockpit,bombbayandelectronicequipment.Theprotuberancesonbothsidesofthecentralfuselageareenginecompartments.Theserratedairinletsarearrangedonthebackoftheflyingwing.Twoturbofanengineswithoutafterburnerareinstalledineachenginecompartment.Thewingtipsarenotparalleltothedirectionoftheairflow,butarecuttobeparalleltotheleadingedgeoftheotherwing.Exceptforthewingtips,theentireouterwingsectionhasnotaperandisaconstant-chordwing.TherearedgeofthefuselagetailisW-shapedserrated,andtheedgesarealsoparalleltothefrontedgesofthewingsonbothsides.Sincetheleadingedgeofthewingoftheflyingwingisinfrontofthefuselage,inordertomaketheaerodynamiccenterclosetothecenterofgravity,thewingalsoneedstobesweptback.

TheB-2centralfuselageneedstobedeepenoughtoaccommodatethecockpitandbombbay,butthelengthshouldbeasshortaspossibletoavoidexcessiveresistanceathighsubsonicspeeds.Thechordlengthoftheouterwingofthecentralfuselageisdeterminedbytheenginecompartmentandthestealthairinletandtailnozzle.WhentheB-2fliesathighsubsonicspeeds,thethicksupercriticalairfoilacceleratestheairflowontheuppersurfaceofthewingtosupersonicspeed.Exceptfortheareabehindthetailnozzle,9largecontrolwingsurfacesarearrangedontherearedgeoftheentireflyingwingoftheB-2.Thelast"beavertail"isawholemovablecontrolsurfaceusedtooffsettheturbulencecausedbyverticalgustswhenflyingatlowaltitudes.Ontheoutermostsideisapairofsplitairfoilcalled"speedbrake-rudder".Theremaining6aileronsurfacesareruddersurfacesforpitchandrollcontrol,andtheoutermostpairalsodoublesasaileronsatlowspeeds.

Aerodynamicdesign

TheB-2doesnothaveaverticaltail,whichisdifferentfromtraditionalaircraft.Theaircraftisyawneutral,whichmeansthatwhentheB-2turnstotheleftorright,itwillnotgenerateaerodynamicforcetoreturntothecenter.B-2iscontrolledbyNorthrop'spatentedairbrake-rudderonthetrailingedgeoftheouterwing.Theairbrake-ruddercanbecrackedontheupperandlowersides.Atthesametime,thecrackisusedasaspeedbrake,andwhenitiscrackedasymmetrically,itcanbeusedasarudder.Duetotheexistenceoftheboundarylayeronthesurfaceoftheflyingwing,thespeedbrake-ruddermustbecrackedatleast5degreestobeeffective.Therefore,innormalflight,theairbrakesandruddersonbothsidesareintheopenpositionof5degrees,andtheycanworkimmediatelywhentheyneedtobecontrolled.ThisiswhyweseetheairbrakesandruddersintheB-2flightphotos.It'sallthereasonsforopening.However,theopenairbrake-rudderwillaffectthestealtheffectoftheaircraft,sowhentheB-2arrivesinthebattlezone,theairbrake-rudderwillbecompletelyclosed.

MostofthesurfaceofB-2Aiscoveredbyalayerofspecialelasticmaterialtomaintainuniformelectricalconductivityonthesurfacetoreducethereflectionofradarwavesfromjointsorjoints.Inthedesign,thepartsthatcannotrelyontheshapeforstealth(suchastheairinlet)mustbecoatedwithradarabsorbingmaterial(RAM),anditscompositionisstillhighlyclassified.RAMisacoatingthatcanbesprayedinmultiplelayersandcontainscomponentsthatconvertradarwaveenergyintoheatenergy.Aftertheentiremachineiscoatedwithacoatingofappropriatethickness,aftertheradarwavesofaspecificwavelengthareirradiatedtothecoating,theradarwavesreflectedonbothsidesofthecoatingwillinterfereandcanceleachotherout.Asimilarconceptisthecoatingofopticallenses,whichcaneliminateunnecessarylight.

Powerdesign

FourGEF118-110non-afterburningturbofanenginesareinstalledintheenginecompartmentsonbothsidesofthecentralfuselageofB-2A,eachwitharatedstaticthrustof8,618kg.F118isdevelopedonthebasisofF101-X,whichisafightermodeloftheF101engineoftheB-1bomber.ComparedwithF101,F101-Xhasasmallerlow-pressureexternalculvertcasing,whichreducesthebypassratiofrom2:1to0.87:1.Theenginewithlowbypassratioonlyneedssmallerintakeandexhaustsystems,soitwasselectedbyB-2.Theengineairintakeisfarawayfromtheleadingedgeofthewingtoavoidbeingirradiatedbyradarwavesfrombelow.Duetothethickflyingwingstructure,theB-2canburytheenginedeeplyintheflyingwing.Theflatairinletandcurvedairinletontheuppersurfaceoftheflyingwingcanensurethattheairborneradarcannotdirectlyilluminatefromabove.Thefrontoftheengineisevenmoreimpossiblefrombelow.Inthisway,theB-2canuseasimplerairinlet,andonlyneedtomakeasharptoothmodificationonthelipandthereisnoproblem.

B-2airinletboundarylayerseparationplateseparatestheboundarylayerairflowandthenismixedintothetailnozzletoreducetheexhausttemperatureandreduceinfraredradiation.Theairflowpassingthroughtheseparationplateisalsodiffusedanddirectedtovariousinternalairflowpipelineswhicharecollectivelycalledthesecondaryairflowsystem.Thisincludestheaccessorydriveinstalledonthebodyandtheventilationoftheenginecompartment,theramcoolingairflowoftheheatexchangeroftheenvironmentalcontrolsystemandtheairflowofthebypasscircuit.Whenworkingatlowspeedsandontheground,thefourdiamond-shapedengineauxiliaryintakevalveslocatedonthetopoftheintakeductcoveranddirectlyinfrontofeachengineinletincreasetheairflowtotheengine.Theoperationwiththeauxiliaryintakevalveopenedreducesthemassflowratioofthemainintakeportandthecorrespondingturninglossofthesharplip.

AvionicsDesign

TwocrewmembersoftheB-2AsitsidebysideontheACEIIejectionseat,withthepilotontheleftandthemissioncommanderontheright.Thereare4largewindshieldsonthefrontandonbothsidesofthecockpit.Theoccupantsenterandexitthecockpitthroughthebellydoor.Inanemergency,theejectionseatisejectedthroughthefragiledooronthetopofthecockpit.Themissioncommanderisresponsiblefornavigationandweapondelivery,butbothcrewmemberscancompletetheentiremissionindividually.Thereare4colorCRTmonitorsinfrontofeachoccupant,adatainputpanelontherightandasetofthrottlesontheleft.Thereisalsoathirdcrewseatbehindthecockpit,butitisrarelyused.Theseatalsohasanejectionseatwithafragilehatchonthetop.TheB-2A'snavigationsysteminitiallyconsistsoftwosets,eachofwhichcanbenavigatedindividually,buttheaccuracywillbehigherwhenworkingtogether.Oneisaninertialmeasurementunit,andtheotherisaNorthropNAS-26astronomicalinertialunit.NAS-26wasoriginallydevelopedforghostlong-rangecruisemissiles.Itisaphotoelectrictelescopesystemwithastablebasethatcanlockpre-selectedstarsonacloudyday.Theobservationwindowofthesystemisontheleftsideofthewindshield.

TheB-2AairborneradarisAN/APQ-181phasedarrayradar,manufacturedbyHughes.Thiskindofphasedarrayhas2radarantennaarrays,whichischaracterizedbynoneedtoaddarotatingorswingingantenna,andonlythroughthechangeandcombinationofthesignalarrayposition,itcanscandifferentanglesanddifferentdirections.Itsworkingfrequencyis12-18GHZ,thesidelobeissmall,andtheabilitytoresistelectronicinterferenceisstrong.Thereare21workingmodes,themostprominentonesaresyntheticapertureradarworkingmodeandanti-syntheticapertureradarmode.Theformerismainlyusedtoscanlandformsandcanclearlyobtainscannedimagesofthesurfacewithinadistanceof161kilometersforaircrafttousewhenbombinggroundtargets;thelatterismainlyusedtoidentifyandcaptureseatargets,withthelongesteffectiverangeavailable.Upto128kilometers.Inaddition,theB-2Abombercanuseterrainmatchingandterrainavoidancetechnology,sothatitcanpenetrateintotheenemy'sairspaceatlowaltitudetoperformbombingmissions.

Armedloading

ThetworotatingmagazinesoftheB-2bombercancarry16AGM-129cruisemissiles,andcanalsocarry80MK82or16MK84Ordinarybombsor36CBU-87clusterbombscancarry16bombswhenusingthenewTSSMlong-rangeattackammunition.Whenusingnuclearweapons,itcancarry16B63nuclearbombs.Inaddition,theAGM-129cruisemissilecanalsobeloadedwithnuclearwarheads.InFebruary2002,B-2increasedtheabilitytouseJASSMair-to-surfacemissilesoutsidethejointdefensezone.Mostofthespaceinsidetheouterwingsectionisoccupiedbythefueltank.Twolargebombbaysarearrangedsidebysideunderthefuselagebetweentheenginecompartments.Eachbombbaycanbehungwithanadvancedrotatingpylondevelopedbycarriersound,whichcanmount8pieces.For908kgammunition,twobombrackcomponentscanalsobeinstalledtomountconventionalammunition.Aftertheavionicsandequipmentperformanceisimproved,theB-2AcancarrytheAGM-154combinedrangeweaponandtheGBU-285,000-poundlaser-guidedbomb;inaddition,itcanalsocarrytheAGM-158combinedair-to-surfacerangemissile.

• 40,000lbs(18,000kg):Mk82500lbslow-resistancegeneralpurposebombscarriedbystackablebombracks(totalnumberofcarryis80)

• 27,000pounds(12,000kg):750-poundclassclusterbombscarriedbystackablebombracks(36piecesintotal)

• 16RotaryLauncherAssembly(RLA):Itcancarry2,000-poundweapons(suchasMk842,000-poundlow-resistancegeneralpurposebomb,GBU-31jointdirectattackammunition,orB-61andB-83nuclearbombs).

Performancedata

Servicedynamics

ThefirsttimetheB-2bomberwasputintoactualcombatItwastheKosovoWarinSerbia,andthiswasthefirstbattleaftertenyearsofservice.OnthenightofMay7,1999,localtime,andonMay8,1999,Beijingtime,theB-2bomber,whichwasputintoactualcombatforthefirsttime,usedthreeprecision-guidedbombstodirectlyhittheEmbassyofthePeople’sRepublicofChinainBelgradeandwaskilledonthespotfromXinhua.ThreeChinesejournalists,ShaoYunhuanoftheagency,XuXinghuandZhuYingofGuangmingDaily,woundeddozensofpeopleandcausedseriousdamagetotheembassybuilding.OneoftheJDAMsdidnotexplodeonthespot,andwasnotremovedanddestroyedbytheSerbiansideuntilfiveyearslater.Afterthat,theChinesesidebelievedthatthiswasadeliberatebombing,possiblyinretaliationforChina’spreviousoppositiontoNATO’sbombingoftheYugoslavia,andthereforelodgedastrongprotesttotheUnitedStates.NATOexplainedthatitwasanaccidentalbombing.

Thebombingandsubsequentdevelopmentscausedasuddendeteriorationintherelationsbetweenthetwocountries,whichwereoriginallyintheascendingphaseduetotheexchangeofvisitsbetweentheheadsofstateofChinaandtheUnitedStates.Aftertheincident,theChinesepeoplewereveryangry.ManycollegestudentsdemonstratedinfrontoftheembassiesoftheUnitedStatesandotherNATOcountriesinBeijing,Shanghai,Shenyangandotherplaces.Theparadeshowedsignsoflossofcontrolinthelaterperiod,includingtheburningofAmericanfastfoodrestaurantsandthedestructionofAmericanembassiesandconsulates.Wait.Duringtheincident,theUSConsulateinHongKongalsoencountereddemonstrationsbyHongKongpeople.RelationsbetweenChinaandtheUnitedStatesbegantograduallyrecoverattheendof1999,andNATOprovidedfinancialcompensationtothevictims.ThethenPresidentoftheUnitedStatesBillClintonpersonallyapologizedfortheincidentandcompensatedforthedamagedpremisesinChina.TheChinesegovernmentalsocompensatedtheAmericanpremisesdamagedbytheprotesters.

InMarch2003,theB-2wasputintotheIraqibattlefield.AB-2droppedtwo2130kgnew-typeEGBU-28guidedbombsforthefirsttimeontheeveningofthe28th,whichblewupthecityofBaghdad.AcommunicationstowerontheTigrisRiver.ThisisthelargestbombusedbytheUSmilitaryintheIraqWar.EGBU-28hasglobalpositioning/inertialnavigationandsemi-activelaserfull-rangedual-modeguidancemode,whichismoreadvancedthanpreviousJDAMbombs.EGBU-28caneffectivelydestroylargesolidtargetsandminimizecollateraldamage.DuringtheIraqWar,theB-2hadanon-refuelingrangeof11,119kilometers.TwoB-2sweretransferredtotheDiegoGarciaUSAirForceBaseintheIndianOcean.Fromthisbase,thebombingofIraqdidnotrequireaerialrefueling.

OnFebruary23,2008,anaircraftnumbered89-0127(namedtheKansasGhost)crashedduringtake-offatAndersonAirForceBaseinGuam.Thetwopilotsonboardwererescuedsafely.InvestigationsshowedthatbeforetheB-2bombertookoff,threeofthe24sensorsweredamagedbywatervapor,andthewrongatmosphericinformationwasmeasured,causingtheflightcontrolcomputertomiscalculatetherequiredflightspeedandascentanglefortakeoff.Althoughthetwopilotsontheplanetriedtocorrectthewronginformation,theywereunsuccessful,andtheplanerushedtothegroundandburstintoflames.

InFebruary2010,oneofthefourenginesoftheB-2bomber(No.88-0332)WashingtonPhantomfiredonthegroundatAndersonAirForceBaseinGuam,whichalsodamagedtheenginecompartmentandOtherparts.TheB-2wasrestoredtoserviceonJanuary9,2014.

OnMarch28,2013,theUSAirForcesenttwoB-2stealthbomberstoSouthKoreatoparticipateintheSouthKorea-USjointmilitaryexercise"Vulture."ThisisthefirsttimethattheUnitedStateshassentaB-2stealthbombercapableofcarryingnuclearweaponstotheKoreanPeninsulaforlive-fireexercises.ThetwoplanestookofffromWhitemanAirForceBaseinMissouriandflew13,000milesbackandforthina"singlecontinuousmission",droppingsimulatedammunitionwithinthetargetrangeofSouthKorea.TheexerciseangeredNorthKoreaandpromptedPyongyangtothreatentolauncha"full-scalewar"withtheaidofnuclearweapons.ConsideringthatNorthKoreahasbeenangeredbytheparticipationofB-52bombers,theuseofstealthbomberswillfurtheraggravatetensionswithPyongyang.

OnthemorningofOctober23,2018localtime,aB-2stealthbomberoftheUSAirForceencounteredanemergencyduringitsflightandmadeanemergencylandingatColoradoSpringsAirport.

Follow-upimprovements

• InJune2003,theU.S.AirForceplannedtoaddLink-16totheB-2bomberinaccordancewiththeB-2super-horizoncommunicationplan.Datalink.TheapplicationofLink-16datalinkdatawillenabletheB-2pilottoknowthelocationoftheaircraftinrealtime.

• OnSeptember10,2003,aU.S.AirForceplanedropped80227kgJDAMbombsatatestrangeinUtah,bombinglessthan1,609inlength.Metersofsimulatedsmallairport.EachJDAMbombhasbeenindividuallyprogrammedtoattackitsintendedtargetwithanidealangleandheading.

• InAugust2004,NorthropGrummanofficialsstatedthattheywoulddeliverthefirstB-2bomberwithanewstealthcoatingtoWhitemanAirForceBase.ThismarksakeymilestoneintheB-2'sstealthandradarimprovementwork.

• InDecember2004,atTinkerAirForceBase,Oklahoma,theE-3AirborneEarlyWarningandControlSystem(AWACS)fleetandthebase’sglobalTheForceBomberJointFlightTestTaskForcejointlyconductedtheLink-16datalinkcomprehensiveverificationtestontheB-2Astealthbomber.

• InApril2006,engineersfromtheMaterialsandManufacturingCommitteeofWrightPattersonAirForceBaseinOhio,USA,togetherwiththeB-2systemteamandmaterialsexperts,Solvedakeymaterialmassproductionproblem.ThisproblemdirectlyaffectstheoperationalmaintainabilityoftheU.S.AirForce’sB-2bomberfleet,whichinturnaffectsoperationalavailability.

• InSeptember2006,NorthropGrummanandRaytheonstatedthattheyhadproposedtotheU.S.DepartmentofDefenseanincrementalAgradualupgradepathtoimprovetheB-2inmanyyearstocome.

• InOctober2006,NorthropGrummanhopedthatitsB-2AbombercouldbeusedasatestplatformfortheU.S.AirForce’s"nextgenerationlong-rangeattacksystem"."(NGLRS)requiredtechnologies,weaponsandoperationalconceptstobeverifiedandevaluated.

• OnJanuary2,2007,theUSAirForcebomberdirectorstatedthattheAirForcehadcarriedoutaseriesofupgradestotheB-2stealthbomber.Someupgradeshavebeencompleted,somearestillbeingplanned,andsomewillbeplannedmorethan10yearsinadvance.

• InMarch2007,theU.S.AirForcehasapprovedthemaincontractoroftheB-2stealthbomber,NorthropGrumman’sproposedimprovementtothisbomber.Theplanofthesatellitecommunicationsystemagreedwiththecompanytostartthedevelopmentandverificationofanextremelyhighfrequency(EHF)satellitecommunicationsysteminordertoincreasetheabilityoftheB-2stealthbombertosendandreceivebattlefieldinformationbyapproximately100times.

• InJune2007,NorthropGrummanandBoeingsigneda62-month,US$171millionsystemdevelopmentandverification(SDD)contract.Thiscontractisthefirstincrementalupgradeprojectforthenewextremelyhighfrequency(EHF)satellitecommunicationssystemoftheU.S.AirForceB-2stealthbomber.

• InJuly2007,NorthropGrummanannouncedthatthecompanyhadbegunresearchingthenew30,000-pound(13620kg)-classpenetratorweapon.

• InNovember2007,NorthropGrummanhascompletedthedevelopmentofanewradarantennatestdevicefortheB-2StealthBomberRadarImprovementProgram(RMP)(DTU)installation,integrationandfirstflight.

• InJanuary2008,theU.S.AirForce509BomberWingatWhitemanAirForceBaseinMissouriannouncedthatthebase’sweaponsexpertswillweighupto30,000pounds(13,620kg)ofgiantTheMassiveOrdnancePenetrator(MOP)iscarriedinthebombbayoftheB-2"Spirit"stealthbomber.

• InJuly2008,NorthropGrummancompletedthedevelopmentofamoderncomputerarchitectureforupgradingtheflightmanagementsystem(FMS)oftheB-2AstealthbomberThefirststage.

• InJanuary2010,theU.S.AirForceusedtheB-2Astealthbombertocompleteaflightverificationusingartificialmixedfuel.JeffBraun,directoroftheUSAirForce'sOptionalFuelVerificationOffice,revealedthatduringtheverificationprocess,aB-2tookofffromWhitemanAirForceBaseandcompletedatrainingsession.

• InApril2010,NorthropGrummanhascompletedthesystemdevelopmentanddemonstrationphase(SDD)oftheB-2bomberradarmodernizationproject(RMP).

• InMarch2012,thePentagonannounceda10-yearplantomodernizeandimprovetheB-2forceworth20billionU.S.dollars.Themainareaof​​improvementisthecompletereplacementofoutdatedavionicsandequipmentprocedurestodealwiththeincreasinglycomplex"potentialenemy"airdefensenetworkinthefuture.

WorldRecord

Themostexpensivemilitaryaircraft(unit):ThemostexpensivemilitaryaircraftintheworldismadeintheUnitedStatesTheB-2Valor,eachcostmorethan1.3billionU.S.dollars(780millionpounds).(GuinnessWorldRecords)