- It first saw combat in 1999, in Kosovo, but has been used throughout the Global War on Terror. The US has increased B-2 presence in the Pacific to deal with threats from North Korea and to send a message to China.
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The legendary B-2 stealth bomber made its first flight 30 years ago today — here's why it's still one of the world's most feared warplanes
June 17 marks the 30-year anniversary of the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber's first flight. The world's only known stealth bomber, it is capable of dropping both conventional and nuclear payloads. It can carry sixteen 2,400-pound B83 nuclear bombs.
B2 SPIRIT BOMBER SEEN AFTER FLYING A MISSION OVER IRAQ
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The B-2 made its first flight 30 years ago, but the US Air Force's stealth bomber remains one of the world's most feared aircraft. It's seen combat in Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and is one of the US's most formidable and mysterious weapons. It's the only known stealth bomber in the world, capable of dropping both conventional and nuclear payloads.
First flown on July 17, 1989, the B-2 was originally intended to carry nuclear bombs deep into Soviet territory by evading detection. Its shape paired with the plane's stealth systems would enable it to be undetected by Soviet radars. The B-2's long rangemeant it could fly deep into enemy territory and return home.
With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, the B-2 has been used to drop non-nuclear bombs. Its first overseas deployment, to Guam, was in 1998, and it made its combat debut during the Kosovo War in 1999, and has since flown sorties in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya.
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More recently, the B-2 has been placed in bases in the Pacific as part of a strategy to deal with potential threats from North Korea, and to deter China.
Here's what makes the B-2 bomber one of the world's most extraordinary warplanes.
The B-2s first flight was July 17, 1989. The Air Force acquired its first B-2, the Spirit of Missouri, in 1993 from Northrop Corporation.
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Courtesy Northrop Grumman
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Source: US Air Force
The B-2 bomber was shown to the public for the first time in 1988, just before the end of the Cold War. Its stealth capabilities were virtually unmatched.
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The B-2 can carry sixteen 2,400-pound B83 nuclear bombs, but its official limit of 40,000 pounds of ordinance means it can carry a massive amount of precision-guided munitions.
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The B-2 has a max range of 6,900 miles on a single tank, but aerial refueling can keep the bomber up indefinitely.
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On one bombing mission, two B-2s flew a 34-hour round-trip mission from Missouri to Libya, and were refueled in the air 15 times.
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Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
Each of the current 20 B-2s in service are named after a states. Here, the Spirit of New York can be seen at the British Royal International Air Tattoo in July of 2012.
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The B-2 is a flying wing aircraft, so it has no fuselage or tail. This means it has low drag, high structural efficiency, and generates more lift than other fixed-wing aircraft.
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US Air Force
The B-2s max speed is Mach 0.95, or 630 mph.
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Because of its capabilities, B-2s have been deployed to Guam to keep an eye on North Korea.
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They are also extremely important for keeping top rivals like China and Russia in check.
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At home, the B-2 is often seen in flyovers during sports events.
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The B-2 is currently one of three strategic bombers currently in use by the US Air Force, the other two being the B-52 Stratofortress, and the B-1 Lancer. The Air Force plans to retire the B-2 in the early 2030s.
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US Air Force
Check it out in action.
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Editor's note : Ben Brimelow , an editorial intern with Business Insider, wrote an earlier version of this post.
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