Northrop Grumman has just released exclusive video of their classic stealth bomber designed for the United States Air Force. Enjoy flying air-to-air in stunning high definition with the B-2 Spirit which first flew in 1989.
As the Department of Defence is ramping up development of the Long Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B), Northrop Grumman is no doubt attempting to generate some marketing buzz around their highly successful production run with the B-2 Bomber.
The LRS-B is an evolution of the Next-Generation Bomber (NGB) program that was seeking to create a new medium bomber for the Unites States Air Force. The NGB was originally projected to enter service around 2018 as a stealthy, subsonic, medium-range, medium payload bomber to supplement and possibly—to a limited degree—replace the U.S. Air Force’s aging bomber fleet. The NGB program was superseded by the Long-Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B) heavy bomber program.
The LRS-B is a proposed long-range strategic bomber for the United States Air Force, intended to be a heavy-payload stealth aircraft capable of carrying thermonuclear weapons. Initial capability is expected in the mid-2020s. A request for proposal to develop the aircraft was issued on 9 July 2014, with a contract that was expected to be awarded in 2015. Announcement of the winning proposal has been delayed but the Air Force is expected to make a selection in the next couple months. The Air Force plans to purchase 80–100 LRS-B aircraft at a cost of $550 million each, at 2010 prices.
Northrop Grumman is vying for military bids among heavy competition from worthy competitors like Boeing and Lockheed Martin.