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United States Northrop Grumman
B-2 Spirit
Flying-wing stealth strategic bomber capable of penetrating dense air defenses to deliver nuclear or conventional payloads. One of the most expensive aircraft ever built, with only 21 produced.
In service since 1997 · 1 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
1,010
km/h
11,100
km range
15,200
m ceiling
18,144
kg payload
💲 ≈ $2,130,000,000, This is the average total program unit cost across all 21 B-2s built, in 1997 dollars, per GAO's program cost accounting of $44.75 billion divided by 21 aircraft. It includes R&D, procurement, facilities and spares, not just manufacturing. Recurring flyaway procurement cost alone was about $737 million per aircraft in 1997 dollars, far lower.
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Limited · 1 operator
In service since 1997. Status: active · ~21 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$5.3B – $7.5B
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~35 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the B-2 Spirit can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance. | 1,010 km/h |
|---|---|
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 11,100 km |
| Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon. | 15,200 m |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie. | 18,144 kg |
|---|
Protection
Armor, countermeasures and survivability.
| Signature reduction Radar cross-section shaping, RAM coatings, IR suppression. Actual RCS values are classified. | Flying-wing low-observable shaping with radar-absorbent coatings |
|---|
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 21 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span. | 52.4 m |
| Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles. | 5.18 m |
| Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew. | 71,700 kg |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 170,600 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 2 |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | General Electric F118-GE-100 turbofan |
|---|---|
| Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost. | 4 |
| Thrust Total engine thrust (with afterburner where applicable). | 84 kN |
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Turbofan |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $2,130,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 21 |
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 1 |
Specifications compiled from public Northrop Grumman and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
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B-2 Spirit vs
H-6K Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit? +
The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit has a maximum speed of 1,010 km/h.
What is the range of the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit? +
The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit has a maximum range of 11,100 km.
What is the weapons payload of the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit? +
The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit can carry up to 18,144 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit weigh? +
The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit has a combat weight of 170,600 kg.
How many crew does the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit require? +
The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit requires a crew of 2.
What engine does the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit use? +
The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit is powered by the General Electric F118-GE-100 turbofan.
What is the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit used for? +
The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit is a bomber typically used for deep strike.
How many countries operate the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit? +
The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit is operated by 1 countries.
How much does the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit cost? +
The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit has an approximate unit cost of 2,130,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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