In support of Operation Enduring Freedom, the B-2 flew one of its longest missions to date from Whiteman to Afghanistan and back. The combat effectiveness of the B-2 was proved in Operation Allied Force, where it was responsible for destroying 33 percent of all Serbian targets in the first eight weeks, by flying nonstop to Kosovo from its home base in Missouri and back. 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. The first aircraft, Spirit of Missouri, was delivered Dec. Whiteman AFB, Missouri, is the only operational base for the B-2. The B-2 Combined Test Force, Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards Air Force Base, California, is responsible for flight testing the engineering, manufacturing and development aircraft on the B-2. 22, 1988, when it was rolled out of its hangar at Air Force Plant 42, Palmdale, California. The first B-2 was publicly displayed on Nov. The B-2 has a crew of two pilots, a pilot in the left seat and mission commander in the right, compared to the B-1B's crew of four and the B-52's crew of five. 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." These signatures make it difficult for the sophisticated defensive systems to detect, track and engage the B-2. The B-2's low observability is derived from a combination of reduced infrared, acoustic, electromagnetic, visual and radar signatures. Its unrefueled range is approximately 6,000 nautical miles (9,600 kilometers). Its low-observability provides it greater freedom of action at high altitudes, thus increasing its range and a better field of view for the aircraft's sensors. The revolutionary blending of low-observable technologies with high aerodynamic efficiency and large payload gives the B-2 important advantages over existing bombers. Its capability to penetrate air defenses and threaten effective retaliation provides a strong, effective deterrent and combat force well into the 21st century. 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. The B-2 provides the penetrating flexibility and effectiveness inherent in manned bombers. The B-2 brings massive firepower to bear, in a short time, anywhere on the globe through previously impenetrable defenses. A dramatic leap forward in technology, the bomber represents a major milestone in the U.S. The computer adjusts this flap, called the gust load alleviation system (GLAS), to counteract air turbulence forces.The B-2 Spirit is a multi-role bomber capable of delivering both conventional and nuclear munitions.
The B-2 also has a small wedge-shaped flap in the middle of the trailing edge. The corrections are so precise that the pilot usually won't feel any shift at all. If the plane starts to turn unexpectedly, the computer automatically moves the rudders to counteract the turning force. It constantly monitors gyroscopic sensors to keep track of the plane's attitude - its position relative to the airflow. The computer also does a lot of work independent of the pilot's input. In other words, the pilot controls the computer and the computer controls the steering system. Instead of adjusting the flaps through mechanical means, the pilot passes commands on to a computer, which adjusts the flaps. Northrup Grumman built the B-2 with a sophisticated fly-by-wire system. By the 1980s, advancements in computer technology made the flying wing a more viable option.
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