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In a stark demonstration of the economic realities facing the maintenance of advanced military technology, the U.S. Air Force has confirmed it will retire one of its B-2 Spirit stealth bombers.
![Stealth bomber in flight](https://gallery.trendydigests.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1715664924-f9ab.jpg)
The aircraft, damaged in a December 2022 incident at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, was deemed too costly to repair.
![Airplane B-2 Stealth Bomber flying over 2016 Rose Parade New Years Day in Pasadena, California](https://gallery.trendydigests.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1715664943-da19.jpg)
This decision reduces the fleet from 20 to 19 operational aircraft, each with a historical price tag of approximately $2 billion.
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The incident, which led to this retirement, occurred on December 10, 2022, when the bomber experienced an in-flight emergency, landed, ran off the runway, and caught fire.
![delta wings, plane, stealth bomber](https://gallery.trendydigests.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/62833.jpg)
The grounding of the B-2 fleet for a “safety pause” of six months followed as the Air Force scrutinized the mishap. The B-2, a key element of America’s nuclear deterrent, remained available for combat during this period, despite the stand-down.
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The economic assessment to forego repairs comes as the B-2 fleet is already set for a phase-out by the end of the decade.
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The defense budget request for fiscal year 2025 does not include further procurement for the B-2, with procurement and R&D only estimated to be about $250 million through the future years defense plan.
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Nevertheless, a Northrop Grumman sustainment contract valued at up to $7 billion, running through 2029, indicates continued support until the fleet is replaced by the new B-21 Raider.
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The damaged B-2 “is being divested in FY 2025 due to a ground accident/damage presumed to be uneconomical to repair,” according to the Pentagon’s force structure report.
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The same report outlines the Air Force’s broader plans to cut 932 aircraft to invest in new technologies, projecting savings over $18 billion from fiscal years 2025 to 2029.
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This is not the first time the Air Force has had to grapple with the costly maintenance of its B-2 fleet. In 2010, a B-2 crashed at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, resulting in a $100 million repair bill and a four-year service hiatus.
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However, with the B-21 Raider on the horizon, the decision to retire the B-2 suggests a shift in priorities and the weighing of repair costs against operational service life.
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The B-21 Raider, expected to enter service in the mid-2020s, is currently undergoing flight testing with the Air Force confirming that “good progress is being made.” As the new face of stealth bomber technology, the B-21 is set to redefine the strategic air capabilities of the U.S. Air Force.
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The future of the damaged B-2 remains uncertain, with possibilities ranging from its use as a maintenance trainer to being displayed in a museum.
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However, the decision underscores the high stakes and costs inherent in sustaining a fleet of sophisticated stealth aircraft and the strategic choices that define the future of U.S. aerial combat capabilities.
Relevant articles:
– Air Force Will Retire, Not Repair, Damaged B, Air & Space Forces Magazine
– B-2 that caught fire in 2022 won’t be fixed, Air Force confirms, Defense One
– Damaged B-2 Won’t Be Repaired, Fleet To Shrink To 19 Jets (Updated), The War Zone
– The U.S. Air Force Is Divesting A Damaged B-2A Spirit Stealth Bomber, The Aviationist