Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit

Specifications

Manufacturer

Northrop Grumman

Date in service

December 17, 1993

Number built

21 on order through year 2000

Type

Multirole bomber

Crew

Two (provisions for third)

Engine

General Electric F118-GE-100 nonafterburning turbofan

Users

U.S. Air Force

Dimensions

Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69.0 ft

Height . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17.0 ft

Wing area . . . . . . . . .5,140 sq ft

Weight

Empty . . . . . . . . . . .153,700 lb

Weapon load . . . . . . . 40,000 lb

Max takeoff . . . . . . .376,000 lb

Performance

Speed . . . . . . . . . high subsonic

Range . . . . . . . . . . . .6,000 n mi

Highlights of Research by Langley for the B-2

1. At the request of the Air Force, Langley specialists participated as members of B-2 technical review teams during design and early development stages.
2. Langley provided critical wind-tunnel tests with multiple entries in 5 Langley tunnels during the development program.
3. Areas addressed in the Langley tests included propulsion integration, high-angle-of-attack and low-speed stability and control, cruise performance, and spinning.

The B-2 Spirit’s low observable, or stealth, characteristics give it the unique ability to penetrate an enemy’s most sophisticated defenses and threaten its most valued, and heavily defended, targets. Northrop Grumman successfully met enormous technical challenges in blending the features and concepts required for low observability with the features required for high aerodynamic efficiency and large payload. In recognition of the significant accomplishments in the development of the B-2, Northrop Grumman was awarded the Collier Trophy in 1991. The NASA Langley Research Center provided key information for the design and development process by Northrop Grumman.

Some of the more obvious B-2 design challenges are apparent, including the efficient operation of highly integrated engine inlets; providing satisfactory stability, control, and handling characteristics for a flying-wing configuration without tail surfaces; and meeting mission performance specifications with high aerodynamic efficiency.

At the request of the Air Force, Langley researchers participated in preproduction technical reviews of the B-2 and later provided tests in several unique facilities at Langley during the development process. Langley facilities used for B-2 tests included the National Transonic Facility (NTF), the16-Foot Transonic Tunnel, the 16-Foot Transonic Dynamics Tunnel, the 30- by 60-Foot (Full-Scale) Tunnel, and the 20-Foot Vertical Spin Tunnel.

Langley Contributions to the B-2

NASA supported Northrop Grumman in the aerodynamic design and development of the B-2 for over 15 years. Some of the more critical configuration development tests included the B-2 planform, the shielded upper-surface engine inlets, and the flight control system. At times, this effort approached 20 percent of the test operational schedule for some facilitates.

B-2 model during tests in the National Transonic Facility (NTF) at Langley.

Free-spin and spin recovery tests of the B-2 in the Langley Spin Tunnel.

NASA Official
Gail S. Langevin

Questions
Gail S. Langevin

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Peggy Overbey

Last Updated
October 17, 2003