Are America’s Stealth Bombers Ready for Action?

The B-2 Spirit stealth bomber can avoid most modern adversaries’ defenses, but it is currently facing a different threat: defense budget cuts.

Of the 20 B-2s in existence, only 16 are operational at any given time due to maintenance schedules; a recent report claims there may only be nine available. In addition, a handful of B-2s are constantly used for training, so the availability of combat-ready Spirits actually declines further.

The B-2 Spirit is the most advanced stealth bomber on the planet. It has served the U.S. since the 1990s in both strategic and conventional bomber roles, performing strikes over Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya while also contributing to America’s nuclear deterrence missions.

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