Summary: The U.S. Air Force has decided not to repair one of its B-2 Spirit bombers, which was damaged during an incident at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. This decision will reduce the active fleet of B-2s from 20 to 19.

-The B-2 Spirit, known for its stealth capabilities, has seen two recent mishaps: one in 2012 involving the "Spirit of Georgia," and another in December 2022 that resulted in significant fire damage.

-The latter incident led to the temporary grounding of the entire fleet. Given the impending introduction of the B-21 Raider and the ongoing costs of maintaining the aging B-2 fleet, the Air Force has opted to retire the severely damaged aircraft rather than undertake costly repairs. This decision comes amidst a new $7 billion contract awarded to Northrop Grumman for the sustainment of the B-2 fleet through 2029, as the Air Force prepares for a gradual transition to newer technologies.

One Less B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber 

The United States Air Force now has one fewer Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit – as the air service announced that it won't repair a bomber that was damaged in an accident at Whiteman Air Force Base (AFB), Missouri.

Two B-2 Spirits are known to have suffered mishaps in recent years, with the first incident occurring in September 2012. The "Spirit of Georgia" made an emergency landing, skidded off the runway into the grass, and came to rest on its left side. The cause of the accident was faulty landing gear springs, and "microcracking" in the hydraulic connections on the aircraft. It has been reported that the damaged aircraft was taken to Northrop Grumman's facility at Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, for repairs that could cost a minimum of $10.1 million.

A second Spirit made an emergency landing in December 2022 following an in-flight malfunction. While no personnel, including the flight crew, sustained any injuries, the aircraft caught fire – seriously damaging the aircraft. The incident was significant enough that the entire fleet of twenty B-2s was grounded for nearly six months.

It remains unclear exactly which of the two B-2s the U.S. Air Force is divesting from its fleet, but all indications are that it is the latter aircraft. It would be the second Spirit to be retired from service following a serious mishap – following the February 2008 crash of the AV-12 "Spirit of Kansas," which crashed on the runway shortly after takeoff from Andersen AFB, Guam. That incident has been described as the most costly aviation crash in history, but given that the cost of the flying wing-style bombers has only continued to increase, the December 2022 incident could not be the record-setter!

One other B-2 – the Spirit of Washington – was severely damaged by a fire while on the ground at Andersen AFB. It underwent 18 months of repairs to enable it to fly back to the United States for even more comprehensive repairs. It returned to service in December 2013.

It has been suggested that as the U.S. Air Force will begin acquiring the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider by the end of the decade, the air service simply doesn't feel the need to repair one of the two damaged aircraft given the costs. The news that the service would divest a damaged spirit comes just days after the U.S. Air Force extended a contract to Northrop Grumman – valued at $7 billion – to provide modernization and sustainment to support the B-2 Spirit through 2029. The contract will likely be one of the final ones for the long-range strategic bombers before the fleet reaches the end of its operational career.

The United States Air Force will have to make do with just 19 B-2s (once one of the damaged aircraft is repaired that is) until the B-21 Raider begins to enter service. The Spirit is the world's only strategic stealth bomber in active service and will remain so until the Raider and possibly China's H-20 enter service.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].

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