US Air Force to retire damaged 'Ghost' bomber, eyes future fleet
The United States Air Force has decided not to repair a malfunctioning B-2 Spirit stealth bomber. What kind of aircraft is this?
The B-2 bombers, also known as "Ghosts," are often described as "invisible" because of the stealth technology used in their design. This technology significantly reduces their detectability, making them nearly invisible to radar. Their unique capabilities, impressive speed, and large payload capacity enable them to perform a wide range of missions and operations at both low and high altitudes.
What is the B-2 Spirit?
Northrop Grumman, the manufacturer of the B-2 bombers, states that these aircraft can penetrate the most sophisticated enemy air defence systems. This means the B-2 can carry out both conventional and nuclear missions, regardless of the advancement of the opponent's air defences.
The B-2 Spirit bomber has a takeoff weight of approximately 152 tonnes, with the aircraft itself weighing about 73 tonnes. It is powered by four General Electric F118-GE-100 engines, enabling it to reach a top speed of about 1,040 km/h. Its range is about 9,600 km, qualifying it as an intercontinental bomber. The B-2 Spirit can carry both nuclear and conventional weapons, such as B61 bombs or AGM-129 ACM for nuclear missions and Mk 82 aerial bombs, CBU-97 cluster bombs, or precision strike weapons like AGM-154 JSOW for conventional missions.
The damaged machine has been written off
As Defence Express reports, the Pentagon notes in its annual report on the force structure that repairing this aircraft is not cost-effective and plans to retire it in fiscal year 2025, which begins on 1 October 2024.
Unprofitable investments and the future of the fleet
The exact model of the aircraft in question is unknown, but it is likely the one that had to make an emergency landing in December 2022 and was then damaged by fire. There are 20 B-2 bombers in service, with plans for modernization focusing on the remaining aircraft. Despite the high cost of repairing the damaged aircraft, Northrop Grumman has been granted £5.6 billion for these bombers' modernization and technical maintenance. This indicates ongoing investment in this technology, alongside developing the new sixth-generation B-21 Raider stealth bombers.
