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| B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber Launches JASSM-ER Cruise Missile |
International Military - Northrop Grumman is working with the US Air Force (USAF) to upgrade the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber capability. In this modernization the “bat” bomber has carried out tests of the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile – Extended Range (JASSM-ER) cruise missile.
A long-range stealth missile flight test was carried out by the B-2 in December last year, but the company and the USAF are only revealing it to the public now.
Last month, the USAF also successfully tested a new nuclear RATS (Radar Aided Targeting System) on a B-2A aircraft. Another modernization relates to the communication security of some high-frequency transmissions. This capability will enable the B-2 to safely use state-of-the-art communications devices in contested environments.
Northrop Grumman Vice President and B-2 Program Manager Shaugnessy Reynolds said the B-2's unmatched capabilities make it the only long-range stealth bomber currently in the possession of the US.
The latest system advancements are part of Integrated Functional Capability (IFC) P6.4, certified by the USAF in 2021.
With IFC's capabilities, the B-2 fleet continues to be a critical component of the US Department of Defense (DoD) nuclear triad. The modernization of the B-2 bomber will be carried out until 2024.