https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbjdS7CZs6I
The extraordinary American engineering of stealth fighters and bombers. Lockheed’s skunk works and more. Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit, Lockheed’s F-117 Nighthawk, quantum leaps in technology. Secret black programs and the most outstanding technology available created to avoid radar detection.The Northrop B-2A Spirit is a twin-engined two-seat heavy strategic bomber with stealth capability and a maximum weapon-payload of 40,000 lbs (18.144 kg) produced by the US-American manufacturer Northrop Corporation (today Northrop Grumman Corporation) used by the United States Air Force.The turbofan engines of the B-2 are not after burner equipped. Today (09/2010) 20 of the 21 produced B-2 remain in service after loss of one aircraft in 2008. The B-2 is the most expensive aircraft ever produced with a unit cost of approx. US$ 740 million.The Northrop (later Northrop Grumman) B-2 Spirit, also known as the Stealth Bomber, is an American heavy strategic bomber, featuring low observable stealth technology designed for penetrating dense anti-aircraft defenses. Designed during the Cold War, it is a flying wing design with a crew of two.General characteristics:Crew: 2: pilot (left seat) and mission commander (right seat)Length: 69 ft 0 in (21.0 m)Wingspan: 172 ft 0 in (52.4 m)Height: 17 ft 0 in (5.18 m)Wing area: 5,140 sq ft (478 m2)Empty weight: 158,000 lb (71,700 kg)Gross weight: 336,500 lb (152,200 kg)Max takeoff weight: 376,000 lb (170,600 kg)Fuel capacity: 167,000 pounds (75,750 kg)Powerplant: 4 × General Electric F118-GE-100 non-afterburning turbofans, 17,300 lbf (77 kN) thrust eachPerformanceMaximum speed: 630 mph (1,010 km/h, 550 kn) at 40,000 ft (12,000 m) altitude / Mach 0.95 at sea levelCruise speed: 560 mph (900 km/h, 487 kn) at 40,000 ft (12,000 m) altitudeRange: 6,900 mi (11,000 km, 6,000 nmi)Service ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,200 m)Wing loading: 67.3 lb/sq ft (329 kg/m2)Thrust/weight: 0.205Armament2 internal bays for ordnance and payload with an official limit of 40,000 lb (18,000 kg); maximum estimated limit is 50,000 lb (23,000 kg)80× 500 lb (230 kg) class bombs (Mk-82, GBU-38) mounted on Bomb Rack Assembly (BRA)36× 750 lb (340 kg) CBU class bombs on BRA16× 2,000 lb (910 kg) class bombs (Mk-84, GBU-31) mounted on Rotary Launcher Assembly (RLA)16× B61 or B83 nuclear bombs on RLA (strategic mission)Standoff weapon: AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) and AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM)[162]2× GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator.The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk is a semi-retired American single-seat, twin-engine stealth attack aircraft that was developed by Lockheed’s secretive Skunk Works division and operated by the United States Air Force (USAF). It was the first operational aircraft to be designed around stealth technology.The F-117 was based on the Have Blue technology demonstrator. The Nighthawk’s maiden flight took place in 1981 at Groom Lake, Nevada, and the aircraft achieved initial operating capability status in 1983. The aircraft was shrouded in secrecy until it was revealed to the public in 1988. Of the 64 F-117s built, 59 were production versions, with the other five being prototypes.The F-117 was widely publicized for its role in the Persian Gulf War of 1991. Although it was commonly referred to as the “Stealth Fighter”, it was strictly a ground-attack aircraft. F-117s took part in the conflict in Yugoslavia, where one was shot down and another damaged by surface-to-air missiles (SAM) in 1999. The U.S. Air Force retired the F-117 in April 2008, primarily due to the fielding of the F-22 Raptor. Despite the type’s official retirement, a portion of the fleet has been kept in airworthy condition, and Nighthawks have been observed flying since 2009.General characteristicsCrew: 1Length: 65 ft 11 in (20.09 m)Wingspan: 43 ft 4 in (13.21 m)Height: 12 ft 5 in (3.78 m)Wing area: 780 sq ft (72 m2) [116]Airfoil: Lozenge section, 3 flats Upper, 2 flats LowerEmpty weight: 29,500 lb (13,381 kg) Max takeoff weight: 52,500 lb (23,814 kg)Powerplant: 2 × General Electric F404-F1D2 turbofan engines, 10,600 lbf (47 kN) thrust eachPerformanceMaximum speed: 594 kn (684 mph, 1,100 km/h)Maximum speed: Mach 0.92Range: 930 nmi (1,070 mi, 1,720 km) ;[citation needed]Service ceiling: 45,000 ft (14,000 m)Wing loading: 67.3 lb/sq ft (329 kg/m2) calculated fromThrust/weight: 0.40Armament2 × internal weapons bays with one hardpoint each (total of two weapons) equipped to carry:Bombs:GBU-10 Paveway II laser-guided bomb with 2,000 lb (910 kg) Mk84 blast/fragmentation or BLU-109 or BLU-116 Penetrator warheadGBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb with 500 lb (230 kg) Mk82 blast/fragmentation warheadGBU-27 Paveway III laser-guided bomb with 2,000 lb (910 kg) Mk84 blast-fragmentation or BLU-109 or BLU-116 Penetrator warheadGBU-31 JDAM INS/GPS guided munition with 2,000 lb (910 kg) Mk84 blast-frag or BLU-109 Penetrator warheadB61 nuclear bomb
