It likely amounts to the biggest ever deployment of the US' most important military jet to Australia, with the country's active fleet only numbering 20.
509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
"This deployment of the B-2 to Australia demonstrates and enhances the readiness and lethality of our long-range penetrating strike force,” said Lt.
A total of five B-2's deployed to Australia apart of this BTF deployment with two of the aircraft completing a swap mid deployment, the aircraft noted to deploy to Amberley were, “Spirit of New York” serial: 82-1068 (CO aircraft), “Spirit of Arizona” serial: 82-1067, “Spirit of Ohio” serial: 02-1070, “Spirit of Alaska” ...
It took 11 days for the base to clear the B-2 from the runway. There are only 20 B-2 bombers in the Air Force's fleet, according to a service fact sheet, meaning that putting one out of commission can cause a notable impact to bombing missions. Each B-2 bomber costs approximately $1.157 billion.
The strategic bombers are assigned to the 509th Bomb Wing out of Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri and flew to Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Amberley, Australia as part of a Pacific Air Forces Bomber Task Force deployment to conduct training, interoperability and strategic deterrence missions in the region.
The accident marked the first operational loss of a B‑2 bomber, and as of 2023 remains the only one.
The F-35A Lightning II is the Australian Defence Force's first fifth-generation air combat capability. It is a highly advanced multi-role, supersonic, stealth fighter which will meet Australia's requirements to defeat current and emerging threats. The F-35A is at the forefront of air combat technology.
The B-2 is highly automated, and one crew member can sleep in a camp bed, use a toilet, or prepare a hot meal while the other monitors the aircraft, unlike most two-seat aircraft.
Between 1937 and 1945, 12,731 B-17s were built. Roughly 4,735 were destroyed during World War II and while thousands of them continued to be used in various military and civilian applications around the world, most were eventually retired or destroyed.
The B-2 has two major defenses against radar detection. The first element is the plane's radar-absorbent surface. The radio waves used in radar are electromagnetic energy, just like light waves.
Air Force has 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets which, in conjunction with F-35A Lightning II's and EA-18G Growlers, ensure that Australia's air combat capability edge is maintained.
With its low wing loading and power, the aircraft could outperform many of the jet fighters at the time. The RAAF operated 52 Canberras – bombers and trainers.
Whiteman AFB, Missouri, is the only operational base for the B-2. The first aircraft, Spirit of Missouri, was delivered Dec. 17, 1993.
US Congress suggests sending B-21 stealth bombers to Australia under AUKUS partnership. America's next-generation B-21 bomber could be sent to Australia to "accelerate" national security under a congressional proposal put to the US secretary of defense.
Thanks, but no thanks. America's super stealthy next-generation bomber won't be heading to the land down under. Australia has passed up a chance to buy the B-21 Raider, according to the country's latest Defense Strategic Review.
“We all feared the B-52 at first because the US said it was invincible,” Nguyen Van Phiet, a North Vietnamese missile gunner credited with downing four B-52s during Linebacker, told Smithsonian magazine in 2014. “But after the first night, we knew the B-52 could be destroyed just like any other aircraft,” he added.
The RAF put the B-17s on daylight missions against German targets, but suffered many aborts and accidents. Only about half of the sorties scheduled resulted in bombs on primary targets. The British began to call the Forts “Flying Targets”; Joseph Goebbels referred to them to his propaganda as “Flying Coffins.”
The 91st Bomb Group (which had included the famous Memphis Belle) suffered the greatest number of losses of any heavy bomb group in World War II while flying its 340 bombing missions, earning two Distinguished Unit Citations in the process. Of the original 35 crews, 17 were lost in combat.
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. — Flying missions in the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber can be grueling. Most missions last well over a day, and some pilots regularly top 35, sometimes 40 hours cooped up in the cockpit as they fly around the world. To get that done, B-2 wings require more than pilots.
The B-2 Spirit is a multi-role bomber capable of delivering both conventional and nuclear munitions.
The B-2 can carry up to sixteen B-61 or megaton-yield B-83 nuclear gravity bombs on the rotary launchers inside its two bomb bays. The aircraft's avionics are even hardened versus the electromagnetic pulses generated by nuclear blasts.
“We hope for the opportunity to deliver additional F-35s beyond” the 72 Australia has on order, Executive Vice President of Aeronautics Greg Ulmer said on the sidelines of the Australia International Airshow.
"The F-22 Raptors have arrived in the Northern Territory as part of the EAC Program," AVM Goldie said. “This program has been in place since 2017, which builds on a broad range of long-standing air exercises and training activities undertaken between Australia and the United States.
Australia. The F-35 Lightning II is the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) premier 5th Generation fighter that will meet Australia's requirements to defeat emerging threats for decades to come.