B-2 Spirit
The B-2 Spirit ("Stealth bomber") is an advanced, stealth aircraft developed by Northrop Grumman. The B-2 Spirit bomber has many benefits over other military bombers. Its main advantages are its, low-observable, strategic, long-range, and heavy bomber capable of penetrating sophisticated and dense air-defense shields.[1] The B-2 can also carry up to 40,000lb of the most technological advanced weapons, including,conventional and nuclear weapons, precision-guided munitions, gravity bombs, a range of maritime weapons, and even nuclear bombs.[2][3] It holds two separate weapons bays, both of which are equipped with a rotary launcher, and two bomb-rack assemblies.[4] An assessment published by the USAF showed that two B-2s armed with precision weaponry can do the job of 75 conventional aircraft.[5]
History
Much of the design for the B-2 Spirit came from Jack Northrop, the founder of what is now known as Northrup Grumman. In 1946 the United States military looked for a bomber to replace the aging, B-52 bomber. They wanted a plane that was more advanced and one with better range. The military awarded Jack Northrop with a 88 million contract to build a new bomber. Northrop began working on an idea for a plane which he called the "Flying Wing". But in 1947, the Air Force mysteriously ended his contract, and the project ended.[6] The United StatesAir Force restarted it quest for a better bomber in 1970. In 1981, the first B-2 bomber was built. The new 172-foot wide flying wing was very similar to Jack Northrop's design, and much of the plane is attributed to him.[7] The plane became fully operational in December 2003.[8]
Facts
- The B-2 was deployed for the first time during Operation Iraqi Freedom in March / April 2003. [9]
- Jack Northrop, one of the leading designer of the B-2 bomber, also help design the Spirit of St. Louis[10].
- The B-2 bombers range and speed, make it capable of flying anywhere around the world in hours
- The bomber is equipped with a special radar system, developed by Northrop Grumman. This system is known as Alternate High-Frequency Material (AHFM).
- The B-2 Bomber is the largest stealth aircraft used by the military
References
- ↑ http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/b2/
- ↑ http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/b2/
- ↑ http://science.howstuffworks.com/stealth-bomber.htm
- ↑ http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/b2/
- ↑ http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/b2/
- ↑ http://www.dau.mil/pubs/arq/2001arq/Baker.pdf
- ↑ http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Aerospace/Northrop/Aero40.htm
- ↑ http://science.howstuffworks.com/stealth-bomber.htm
- ↑ http://science.howstuffworks.com/stealth-bomber.htm
- ↑ http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Aerospace/Northrop/Aero40.htm
