The “Spirit of Washington” lands at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., Dec. 16, 2013.(U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Alexandra M. Boutte...
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| The “Spirit of Washington” lands at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., Dec. 16, 2013.(U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Alexandra M. Boutte/Released) |
After three years and nine months of maintenance, US Air Force and Northrop Grumman restored the B-2 Stealth Bomber "Spirit of Washington" to full mission ready status, after an engine fire in 2010 badly damaged the aircraft.
The "Spirit of Washington" was preparing to fly a mission on Feb. 26, 2010 at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, when one of its four engines caught fire, resulting in significant damage to the aircraft and the engine bay.
After the restoration, the B-2 participated in its first training mission at Whiteman Air Force Base, on Dec. 16, 2013.
With a small fleet of only 20 B-2s in inventory, the need to save and restore the aircraft was a primary objective. The B-2's sensitive stealth technology, combined with the limited number of aircraft, made obtaining replacement parts challenging. A percentage of the parts could be remanufactured, but other parts were obtained from Air Force spare parts depots.
Whiteman AFB, Mojave, is the only operational base for the B-2.The B-2's low observability is derived from a combination of reduced infrared, acoustic, electromagnetic, visual and radar signatures. These signatures make it difficult for the sophisticated defensive systems to detect, track and engage the B-2. Many aspects of the low-observability process remain classified; however, the B-2's composite materials, special coatings and flying-wing design all contribute to its "stealthiness."
