Thu, Sep 01, 2022
Recent Improvements Add Improved Munitions, Cryptographic Comms, and Nuclear Modernization
Northrop Grumman called attention to their successful modernization efforts on the B-2 Spirit bomber, pointing to a trio of recent developments aimed at extending the aircraft's service life with a few new capabilities.
First, they announced the successful test of the the newest iteration of its Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile – Extended Range (JASSM-ER), an air-to-ground missile that allows the low-observable B-2 to exploit its greatest asset from an even greater distance than previous munitions. Additional advancements to the Radar Aided Targeting System (RATS) and the addition of Integrated Functional Capability P6.4 (IFC)allow the Spirit improved ordnance delivery to targets on the ground. Northrop says the end result is a bomber that can "hit any target, anywhere".
Second, recent advances in cryptography allow the stealth bomber to communicate more securely than ever before. The changes allow the Spirit to support a wider range of frequencies than ever before as the aircraft penetrates deep into hostile territory. Earlier this year, the B-2 passed a flight test perfectly when evaluating the efficiency of modern cryptology at Northrop Grumman's Oklahoma City Weapons System Support Center site.
Finally, RATS is key to the B-2's nuclear mission. The new system allows the B-2 to fully employ the B-61 mod 12 nuclear bomb no matter the level of GPS availability, maintaining the aircraft's vital role in the country's nuclear arsenal. That pivotal position has garnered it an esteemed position in the Department of Defense's nuclear triad.
“The unrivaled capabilities of the B-2 make it the only long range, penetrating stealth bomber currently in the U.S. arsenal,” said Shaugnessy Reynolds, vice president at Northrop Grumman. Reynolds said that the B-2 program is the end result of years of company ingenuity.
“Committed to continued modernization of the B-2, we’re leveraging our company’s innovation in digital engineering and its decades of leadership in designing and maintaining low observable platforms to keep the B-2 Spirit mission ready.”
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