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.

The aircraft, damaged in a December 2022 incident at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, was deemed too costly to repair.

This decision reduces the fleet from 20 to 19 operational aircraft, each with a historical price tag of approximately $2 billion.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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