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B-2 bomber undergoes overhaul in record time
In a big win for US Air Force (USAF) readiness, the “Spirit of Nebraska” a B-2 bomber, returned to operations 91 days ahead of schedule, after completing programmed depot maintenance (PDM) at Palmdale, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., recently.
As told by Brian Brackens, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Public Affairs, in the article B-2 bomber undergoes key maintenance overhaul in record time, previously, it has taken B-2s approximately 470 days to go through PDM. However, the “Spirit of Nebraska” was able to get through PDM in only 379 days due to several changes the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Bombers Directorate made to improve efficiency.
“Bringing these jets into PDM, getting the work done quickly, and delivering them back to the warfighter early is a big deal,” said Col. Francis Marino, B-2 System Program Manager within the Bombers Directorate.
PDM occurs every nine years, and is an exhaustive inspection, overhaul, and repair of the bomber, with much of the work focused on restoration of the bomber’s Low Observable (LO) or stealth materials.
“PDM’s main objective is to accomplish LO restoration of the aircraft,” said Staci Gravette, B-2 PDM Program Manager. “Since the aircraft is stripped [for LO restoration] we are also able to do other maintenance work as well.”
One of the ways the Air Force was able to reduce PDM time for the aircraft, was to conduct the fuel system inspection earlier in the PDM cycle.
Reducing overhaul time for the B-2
In the past, if an inspection identified a fuel leak, the team would have to pull parts and materials back off the aircraft, repair the leak, and redo previous work, often causing a 45-day delay. Moving the fuel system inspection up in the PDM cycle, eliminated duplicate work and delay.
Additionally, the team was able to reduce time by conducting pre-inspections of the aircraft before it arrived at PDM.
“As any aircraft continues to age, you’re going to see more and more issues that need to be repaired on a PDM line,” Marino said. “The pre-inspection is great because it reduces the number of surprises at PDM.”
Improving the PDM process and other sustainment and modernization efforts the Bombers Directorate is leading, ensures the B-2 continues to operate.
“Nothing else can even come close,” said Shawn Clay, B-2 Product Support Manager, referring to the capabilities of the B-2. “When you take into account that this is 1980s technology [on the aircraft] that is still leading the world today, it just speaks volumes to the amazing aircraft weapon system that it is.”
“Until the B-21 is fielded, the B-2 is the world’s only long-range penetrable strike bomber and the only aircraft that can do what we need it to do today,” added Marino. “As long as the aircraft is operational and our adversaries continue to come out with new and advanced weaponry across the electromagnetic spectrum, we’re going to have to continuously invest in the B-2s lethality, its survivability, and of course its readiness. The work we’re doing on the PDM line will play a key role in all of this.”
The Spirit
The B-2 Spirit provides the penetrating flexibility and effectiveness inherent in manned bombers. Its 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. Its capability to penetrate air defenses and threaten effective retaliation provides a strong, effective deterrent and combat force well into the 21st century.
The revolutionary blending of low-observable technologies with high aerodynamic efficiency and large payload gives the B-2 important advantages over existing bombers. Its low-observability provides it greater freedom of action at high altitudes, thus increasing its range and a better field of view for the aircraft’s sensors. Its unrefueled range is approximately 6,000 nautical miles (9,600 kilometers).
The Spirit’s low observability is derived from a combination of reduced infrared, acoustic, electromagnetic, visual and radar signatures. These signatures make it difficult for the sophisticated defensive systems to detect, track and engage the B-2. Many aspects of the low-observability process remain classified; however, the B-2’s composite materials, special coatings and flying-wing design all contribute to its “stealthiness.”
The B-2 has a crew of two pilots, a pilot in the left seat and mission commander in the right, compared to the B-1B‘s crew of four and the B-52‘s crew of five.
Photo credit: Christian Turner, Lindsey Iniguez and Todd Schannuth / U.S. Air Force
