The B-2 was developed in the 1980s in order to carry and deploy nuclear bombs deep into Soviet territory during the Cold War, in the event of military escalation. Its 'flying wing' design is among a number of features that makes it near impossible to detect by anti-aircraft defence systems. The B-2's engines are also hidden in its aft section and leave no trace of a heat signature further enabling it to go undetected

Yesterday, the US military's Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) confirmed that three B-2 stealth bombers from the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri had been deployed to the Naval Support Facility on the remote island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. The aircraft departed the Missouri base on Tuesday and arrived on Diego Garcia following a 29-hour sortie.

With a sticker price of $2 billion, the B-2 Spirit bomber is the most advanced bomber in the US air force. Its sleek design is reminiscent of the B-35 bomber originally developed by James Northrop in the 1940s.

The B-2 was developed in the 1980s in order to carry and deploy nuclear bombs deep into Soviet territory during the Cold War, in the event of military escalation. However, after its first flight in 1989, the B-2 has never entered Russian airspace since. That isn't to say that the B-2 has not seen any combat. Operating out of the Whiteman Air Force Base since 1993, the B-2's first taste of operational experience came during the 1999 Kosovo War.

The B-2 Spirit: A Marvel of Stealth Engineering

With a total wing span of 172 feet, and weighing under 340,000 pounds, the B-2 is a veritable marvel of stealth engineering. Its 'flying wing' design is among a number of features that makes it near impossible to detect by anti-aircraft defence systems.

Radar systems work by sending out pulses through the air that reflect off aerial objects and bounce back to the transmitter. From the angle and intensity of the reflection, the size and location of an object can be determined. However, the B-2 is designed without any vertical shapes such as a tail or a fuselage, and coupled with its smooth surface, it is able to scatter radar waves, making it appear no larger than a small bird on radars.

The B-2's engines are also hidden in its aft section and leave no trace of a heat signature further enabling it to go undetected. Moreover, the reason it cannot be housed in any conventional military facility is due to the heat-absorbing tiles that line its surface that further obfuscate radar signals. As such, the bomber needs to be stored under cooler temperatures.

The stealth features of the jet are so highly trusted that the plane does not actually have any defensive weapons. Yet, no B-2 Spirit has ever been lost in combat. There have, however, been two accidents. In 2008, a bomber crashed having taken off from the Andersen Air Force Base on Guam but both pilots escaped unscathed. In 2010, a B-2 suffered extensive damage in a fire but returned to service following repairs. 

The B-2's stealth features are not perennially in operation when it is in flight but can be activated as the bomber approaches its target. Making a 200 ton airplane turn invisible is no easy feat which is what makes the B-2 Spirit a standout in the US' aerial arsenal. 

The aircraft is also designed to remain in the air indefinitely, as long as it is refuelled. It has been known to have carried out sorties as long as 44 hours such as when it flew from Missouri to Afghanistan in 2001. As such, the plane also integrates a small, flat space behind the cockpit where the two pilots can rest. It also has food-heating facilities and a toilet.