The B-2’s unique flying wing is an extremely efficient design that does not have the aerodynamic drag of other types of aircraft, due to the lack of a typical fuselage and tail planes. Its unrefueled range is approximately 9,600 kilometers, and the low-observable technologies give the batwinged bomber a greater freedom of action over hostile territory that other bombers can't afford. Low-observability enhances the range due to being able to take a more direct route and also allows for a better field of view for the aircraft's sensors. The B-2's low-observability is a result of reduced infrared, acoustic, electromagnetic, visual, and radar signatures. The B-2 employs special coatings, composite materials, and, when coupled with the flying wing design, allows the aircraft's “stealthiness” to be exceptional.
Spirit Specs
The B-2 has a crew of two pilots, an aircraft commander in the left seat and a mission commander in the right seat. The bomber sits 17 feet (5.1 meters) high, is 69 feet (20.9 meters) long, and has a wingspan of 172 feet (52.1 meters). The price tag for each Stealth Bomber was approximately $2.2 billion (price amortized over total program cost of $44 billion), and that has been a controversial issue since its existence.
Some upgrades include LINK 16 capability, enabling the Spirit to share targeting information real-time with other assets while airborne. Another communication system upgrade is the advanced communication suite (ACS) that employs BLOS (Beyond-Loss-Of-Sight), and it is linked to satellites, basically doing what LINK 16 does. LINK 16 was designed for line-of-sight operation and is a virtual battle space display in the cockpit, and BLOS shares information almost anywhere worldwide. Another upgrade improved upon the BLOS, which is driven by TENCAP. TENCAP is a unit that
