The Northrop B-2 (Spirit) is an American multi-role stealth bomber capable of delivering both conventional and nuclear munitions. Along with the B-52 and B-1B, the B-2 provides the penetrating flexibility and effectiveness inherent in manned bombers. Its low-observable, or 'stealth,' characteristics give it the unique ability to penetrate an enemy's most sophisticated defences and threaten its most-valued, and heavily defended, targets. The B-2 has a crew of two pilots, an aircraft commander in the left seat and mission commander in the right, compared to the B-1B's crew of four and the B-52's crew of five. The B-2 is powered by four General Electric F-118-GE-100 engines. The B-2 carries all its weapons internally and is fitted with two separate weapons bays in the central section of the aircraft body. The B-2 has the capacity to carry up to 40,000 lb of weapons, including conventional and nuclear weapons, precision guided munitions, gravity bombs and a range of maritime weapons. Each weapons bay is equipped with a rotary launcher and two bomb rack assemblies capable of carrying the B-61 and B-83 nuclear and Mk 84 conventional bombs from the rotary rocket launcher, and Mk-82 and CBU-87 conventional weapons from the bomb rack assemblies. The B-2 can also carry the AGM-129 Advanced Cruise Missile. The aircraft is fitted with a GATS/GAM weapon system which consists of a GPS-Aided Targeting System (GATS), used with the GPS-Aided Munition (GAM), developed by Northrop Grumman and Raytheon. Sixteen satellite-guided JDAM missiles can be carried. The aircraft is also intended to be fitted with the JSOW (Joint Standoff Weapon) and Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM) when these enter service. Research B-2
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Research B-2