As a key member of the B-2 contractor team, Vought performed
the design, build, assembly and integration of the intermediate
wing sections of the aircraft, providing them to Northrop
Grumman for final assembly in Palmdale, Calif.
Vought-built sections, when assembled, constitute approximately one-third of the total airframe structure by weight. The overall sections include the area around the engines and the area around the landing gear, as well as the forward fuel tank, aft deck, and wing structure.
Included in the large sections are aluminum and titanium structural components as well as large complex composite structural components.
 The B-2 Spirit is a multi-role bomber capable of delivering both conventional and nuclear munitions. It is a dramatic leap forward in technology and represents a major achievement in the U.S. bomber modernization program.
The B-2 brings massive firepower to bear, in a short time, through previously impenetrable defenses anywhere on the globe. The B-2 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.
The B-2's 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 capability to penetrate air defenses and threaten effective retaliation provide a strong, effective deterrent and combat force well through the 21st century.
The prestigious Robert J. Collier Trophy was awarded to the Northrop Corporation, the B-2 Industry Team and U.S. Air Force in 1991, for the top aeronautical achievement in the United States. |
