Home Of The B-2 Spirit Bomber

The Whiteman Air Force Base is located south of Knob Noster in Missouri. Named after the 2nd Lieutenant George Whiteman, the base is the current home of the B-2 Spirit Bomber. The base was established in 1942 as Sedalia Glider Base for various activities during World War II. At the end of the war, many operations ceased, and buildings were abandoned. In December 1947, there was almost no activity, and the base was put on hold.

In August 1951, the United States Air Force (USAF), a newly established military branch, took over and renamed Sedalia Air Force Base. The base was turned over to the 340th Bombardment Wing the following year. In December 1955, the base was renamed Whiteman Air Force Base in honor of the Army Air Corps pilot who was killed during the Pearl Harbor event while attempting to take off from Bellows Field.

Photo: Airman 1st Class Robert E. Hicks | US Air Force

In 1988, the Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, rolled out the first B-2 bomber from its hangar. The Strategic Air Command (SAC) announced that the Whiteman Air Force Base would become the nation’s first operational B-2 Spirit unit.

The first B-2 touched down in 1993, and 21 others were eventually produced. Currently, 19 B-2 bombers are operational, all based at Whiteman AFB. According to the Air Force,

“Whiteman AFB, Missouri, is the only operational base for the B-2. The first aircraft, Spirit of Missouri, was delivered Dec. 17, 1993. Depot maintenance responsibility for the B-2 is performed by Air Force contractor support and is managed at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center at Tinker AFB, Okla.”

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The B-2 Spirit bomber

The B-2 Spirit is a US-manufactured multirole stealth bomber designed and developed by Northrop. A two-person crew operates the low-observable stealth technology aircraft and can drop conventional and thermonuclear-type guided bombs at distances. The aircraft can also carry large air-to-surface standoff weapons configured for stealth missions. The B-2 Spirit made previously impenetrable defenses possible through its massive firepower. According to the Air Force,

“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 defenses and threaten its most valued, and heavily defended, targets. Its capability to penetrate air defenses and threaten effective retaliation provides a strong, effective deterrent and combat force well into the 21st century.”

Photo: Mike Mareen l Shutterstock

The B-2 Spirit classification and specifications

• Primary function: multirole heavy bomber
• Contractor: Northrop Grumman Corp
• Contractor Team: Boeing Military Airplanes Co., Hughes Radar Systems Group, General Electric Aircraft Engine Group, and Vought Aircraft Industries, Inc.
• Initial operating capability: April 1997
• Inventory: active force: 20 (1 test); ANG: 0; Reserve: 0
• Unit cost: Approximately $1.157 billion (fiscal 1998 constant dollars)

Photo: United States Air Force

• Crew: two pilots
• Length: 69 feet (20.9 meters)
• Height: 17 feet (5.1 meters)
• Wingspan: 172 feet (52.12 meters)
• Weight: 160,000 pounds (72,575 kilograms)
• Maximum takeoff weight: 336,500 pounds (152,634 kilograms)
• Fuel capacity: 167,000 pounds (75750 kilograms)
• Payload: 40,000 pounds (18,144 kilograms)
• Power Plant: 4x General Electric F118-GE-100 engines
• Thrust per engine: 17,300 pounds
• Speed: high subsonic
• Range: intercontinental
• Ceiling: 50,000 feet (15,240 meters)

The B-2 design features revolutionary low-observable technologies with an efficient design that can take large payload distances. The B-2’s stealth capabilities enable it to have an enormous unfueled range of approximately 6,000 NM (9,600 km) and an enhanced field of view of the aircraft’s state-of-the-art sensors and detection systems. Notably, the B-2 can be refueled in the air, increasing its range significantly. According to the USAF, the B-2 refuels every six hours at cruising altitude, taking on up to 100,000 lb (45,000 kg) of fuel at a time.

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Designed for deep penetration missions

The B-2 was designed to penetrate deep into enemy territory and deploy ordnance. Its blended-wing design is significantly more efficient than previous aircraft, making it low-observable and aerodynamically efficient. The aircraft features a combination of highly destructive conventional and nuclear armaments.

• 2x internal bays for ordnance and payload with an official limit of 40,000 lb (18,000 kg); the maximum estimated limit is 50,000 lb (23,000 kg)
• 80× 500 lb (230 kg) class bombs (Mk-82, GBU-38) mounted on Bomb Rack Assembly (BRA)
• 36× 750 lb (340 kg) CBU class bombs on BRA
• 16× 2,000 lb (910 kg) class bombs (Mk-84, GBU-31) mounted on Rotary Launcher Assembly (RLA)
• 16× B61 or B83 nuclear bombs on RLA (strategic mission)
• Standoff weapon: AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) and AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM)
• 2× GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator

As of January 2024, 19 B-2 Spirit bombers are in service with the USAF. One was destroyed in 2008, and another was lost to a crash in 2021. The USAF plans to operate the aging B-2s until 2032 when they will be replaced with the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider.

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What are your thoughts on the B-2 Spirit bombers and their home at Whiteman AFB? Share your views in the comments section.