If you've ever wondered about the history of B2 bombing, you are not alone. The United States used this weapon to attack international targets throughout the Cold War. Many incidents took place, including one in Kosovo and another in Libya. These are some fascinating facts about the weapon.
Allied Force
Operation Allied Force was the first time the stealth bomber B-2 Spirit was used, and also the first large-scale application of satellites to weapon guidance. The US also used JDAM (joint direct attack munition) for the first-ever time to increase the gravity of conventional weapons by up 95%. The system was also mounted to the B-2s. Operation Allied Force also featured the Joint Standoff Weapon.
Kosovo
Human Rights Watch visited the site of the August 8 B2 bombing and interviewed eyewitnesses. It found that the bridge had been struck four times. The Sanatorium was not targeted, but two people died on the bridge from the bombing and at least four more nearby. A crater was located about 400 m away. In its White Book, Yugoslav provides detailed information on forensics.
Libya
After an intensive 25-hour mission, B-2 Spirit Bombers of the US military safely returned to base. The planes were piloted by two people and are one of the most expensive warplanes on the planet. They are often stored in Missouri's climate-controlled hangars. Their mission in Libya is to attack Libyan's air defenses.
RAF Fairford
Three US Air Force B2 Stealth Bombers visited RAF Fairford recently. They flew into the airbase from Lajes Field in Portugal and performed bombing training runs on their way in. The B2 Bomber, one of the most secretive aircraft in the US Air Force, is the B2 Bomber. It is part the Bomber Task Force which consists military personnel from both the 509th Bomb Wing (and 131st Aircraft Wing).
Spirit of Oklahoma
The Spirit of Oklahoma B-2 stealth-bomber, the Spirit of Oklahoma B-2, has just left Whiteman AFB for Palmdale (Calif.). This is the last Block 20 B-2 that will be delivered before it's upgraded to Block 30. This is an important milestone for the program and should be a warning sign for future attacks.
Boeing MOP weapon
The MOP is the latest version of the Boeing missile used in B2 bombing. The weapon is equipped with seven-barrel rapidfire cannons that fire at high speed. This weapon can also pulverize the earth while it burrows. Its power is so great that it can cause an artificial earthquake to collapse underground facilities. This joint effort is between Boeing and several weapon developers. However, MOP poses a few problems. First, the delivery. To be successful, the weapon would need to be deployed on a B-2 stealth bomber.
Future configurations
In the future, B-2 bombers will be used to carry gravity nuclear weapons and other conventional weapons. The aircraft currently has an interim precision-guided bomb capability known as GPS Aided Munitions, which is not yet operational. The plane is also planned to carry Joint Direct Attack Munitions and a Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile.