Inside secret hangars concealing America’s $2 billion state-of-the-art stealth aircraft
- Each B2 Spirit stealth bomber needs its own climate-controlled hangar
- It’s soon to be replaced by the B-21 Raider
- The X-47B and MQ-25 Stingray are unmanned aerial vehicles whose controls are based on video games
Published on Feb 29, 2024 at 9:45 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Mar 01, 2024 at 6:21 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
The B2 Spirit bomber is a stealth aircraft and key component of US long-range strike arsenal, with advanced stealth capabilities.
Because of its state-of-the-art technology, each needs its own climate-controlled hangar.
These are designed to accommodate B2 bombers’ large wingspan and preserve radar-absorbent materials.
READ MORE! China claiming to have developed wild new plasma tech that can make aircraft invisible
The 509th Bomb Wing, located at Whitman Air Force Base Missouri, is one of only two Air Force units to operate the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber.
It’s the oldest atomic trained military unit worldwide and the unit can launch the B2 directly from Missouri to any spot on the globe.
It’s able to engage adversaries with large payloads and drop nuclear bombs in Wartime causing mass destruction.
While it’s played a key role in past wars, it will soon be replaced.
The B-21 Raider was unveiled on 2 December, 2022 at the Northrop Grumman Plant 42 in Palmdale as successor to the B2.
It promises enhanced capabilities for the US Air Force bomber fleet.
It is a long range highly survivable aircraft that will replace the B1 and B2 bombers, becoming the backbone of the U.S air force bomber fleet.
The B-21 Raider is the first strategic bomber in more than three decades.
It’s a testament to America’s enduring advantages in ingenuity and innovation.
It’s also proof of the department’s long-term commitment to building advanced capabilities that will fortify America’s ability to deter aggression today and in the future – and this is only the tech we know about.
What’s more, China claim to have developed wild new plasma tech that can make aircraft invisible.
In more innovation, the X-47B and MQ-25 Stingray are unmanned aerial vehicles that display serious advancements in autonomous refueling and altering naval aviation operations.
Besides fuel delivery capabilities, the MQ-25 will also have a secondary ISR role and carry radar for maritime operations to support the main fleet.
According to Boeing the controls are easy to use and specifically designed for young sailors familiar with video-game controls.
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All Supercar Blondie contributors undergo editorial review and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and authority in automotive journalism. After gaining her BA Hons in French and English at the University of Nottingham, Amelia embarked on a vocational diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). This led to numerous opportunities, from interning at Vogue to being on the small team that launched Women’s Health magazine in the UK, which was named the PPA Consumer magazine of the year for three years running. As Health, Beauty and Fitness editor, Amelia personally received a Johnson & Johnson Award and was shortlisted for both PPA and BSME titles. Since then, Amelia has created content for numerous titles and brands, including the Telegraph, 111 Skin, Waitrose, Red magazine, Stylist, and Elle, as well as being Head of Content at Vitality and Editor in Chief at INLondon magazine. “My superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a relatable story you’ll want to share with your friends after you’ve read it.” After joining the SB Media family as a senior journalist in September of 2023, Amelia’s role has evolved to see her heading up the SEO output of the editorial team. From researching the most ‘Google-able’ key terms to producing evergreen content - it’s been a time of hard work, growth, and success for the editorial team and the Supercar Blondie website. “I like to think of myself as a ‘method journalist’. In other words: I live and breathe whatever I am writing about. When writing about fitness, I trained as a personal trainer, and as a beauty editor, I completed an ‘expert’ in scent diploma with the Fragrance Foundation. “During my tenure at Supercar Blondie, however, I did something I never thought possible: I passed my driving test at the age of 36. One day I’d love to train as a mechanic to better understand what happens under the hood, too. “My sweet spot is providing readers with a ‘takeaway’ (read: something new they didn’t know before) after reading every one of my stories. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the automotive world, I know the experts and bodies in the field to rely on to provide our readers with an informative and thought-provoking story every time they visit the site.”
