Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit – Photos & Videos

Den Northrop (senere Northrop Grumman) B-2 Spirit, også kjent som Stealth Bomber, er et amerikansk tungt strategisk bombefly, med lav observerbar stealth-teknologi designet for å trenge inn i tett luftvernforsvar. Designet under den kalde krigen, er det en flygende vingedesign med et mannskap på to. Bombeflyet er subsonisk og kan utplassere både konvensjonelle og termonukleære våpen, for eksempel opptil åtti 500 pund klasse (230 kg) Mk 82 JDAM GPS-styrte bomber, eller seksten 2.400 pund (1.100 kg) B83 atombomber. B-2 er det eneste anerkjente flyet som kan bære store luft-til-overflate standoff-våpen i en stealth-konfigurasjon.

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The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit is a stealth bomber that can deliver both conventional and nuclear weapons to any target in the world. It has a unique flying wing design that reduces its radar signature and makes it hard to detect by enemy defenses. The B-2 was developed by Northrop Grumman in the 1980s and first flew in 1989. It entered service with the U.S. Air Force in 1997 and has been used in several conflicts, including Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya.
The B-2 has a crew of two pilots and can carry up to 40,000 pounds (18,000 kg) of ordnance, including gravity bombs, guided bombs, cruise missiles and smart weapons. It can also carry two B83 nuclear bombs, each with a yield of 1.2 megatons. The B-2 has a range of over 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km) without refueling and can fly at altitudes of up to 50,000 feet (15,000 m). It has a maximum speed of Mach 0.95 (about 630 mph or 1,010 km/h).
The B-2 is one of the most advanced and expensive aircraft ever built. It cost about $2.1 billion per unit (in 1997 dollars) and requires a high level of maintenance and support. Only 21 B-2s were produced and they are based at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. The B-2 is expected to remain in service until at least 2032, when it will be replaced by the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider, a new stealth bomber that is currently under development.