Through a report published by the Pentagon last April, it was revealed that the United States Air Force (USAF) will not repair one of its B-2 strategic bombers that suffered an operational accident in 2022. While the report does not provide further details, among the reasons cited is the high cost of repairing the stealth aircraft, leading to its being sidelined without regaining its flight status. The news comes in the context of Northrop Grumman advancing in the flight testing of its successor, the B-21 Raider, resulting in an operational reduction in the B-2 bomber fleet.
The news was disseminated by various specialized American media outlets, such as Aviation Week and later The War Zone, which echoed the decision of the United States Air Force outlined in the annual structure report released by the Pentagon last April. While it is not specified which of the B-2 bombers will be sidelined due to high repair costs, these media outlets have suggested it could be the aircraft that suffered an accident during an emergency landing at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri in early December 2022.
This accident, involving one of these iconic aircraft, prompted the USAF to ground the fleet of stealth bombers for six months for safety reasons. The situation is significant, as the B-2s are one of the legs of the United States Armed Forces’ nuclear triad. Additionally, this incident added to another similar one that occurred in 2021 in the same unit.
While the costs are not detailed, the complexity of maintenance and sustainment for the B-2s is known. Without further specifics in the Pentagon report, American specialized media outlets have inferred the potential cost for one of these aircraft to return to service after such accidents. For example, in 2010, at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, a B-2 suffered an accident involving a reported fire. The cost of the repair, which also included an overhaul, reached $105 million.
As of now, the decision not to repair this B-2 involved in the 2022 accident due to high costs and the justification that it would not be economically viable remains unclear, especially considering that the aircraft involved in the 2021 accident is being repaired and prepared to return to service. This may indicate that the December 2022 incident caused greater and more severe damage than previously observed.
The final result of this decision is the reduction of the United States Air Force’s B-2 Spirit bomber fleet and the loss, at least in operational terms, of a strategic deterrence asset. As of now, the USAF would maintain a fleet of 18 aircraft, with the one being repaired added, totaling 19 aircraft.
The decision may also be influenced by the future entry into service of the B-21 Raider, which is undergoing testing by Northrop Grumman. Recently, the United States Air Force reported, without providing further details, that the next-generation aircraft, which will replace both the B-2 and the B-1 Lancer, is making significant progress in its test flights. In total, the production of one hundred new B-21s is expected, with initial operational capability slated for 2025.
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