US boosts B-2 bombers amid B-21 production delays

The US has upgraded its legacy B-2 Spirit stealth bombers with cutting-edge software, slashing update times and supercharging combat readiness against near-peer adversaries.

The move comes amid potential production shortfalls in the next-generation B-21 Raider stealth bomber program under development for the US Air Force by private contractor Northrop Grumman.

This month, Air & Space Forces Magazine reported that the US Air Force has upgraded its B-2 stealth bomber with a new open missions systems (OMS) software capability along with additional enhancements.

The report says the upgrade, dubbed Spirit Realm 1 (SR 1), was developed through collaboration between the Air Force Global Strike Command and the B-2 Systems Program Office and aims to keep the bomber relevant and credible until the B-21 is operational.

The agile software development process adopted for the B-2 has dramatically reduced the time required for software updates, now taking less than three months compared to the previous two-year cycle. That, in turn, allows for quicker integration of new weapons and continuous software improvements, directly enhancing combat capability.

Air & Space Forces Magazine mentions that the OMS architecture streamlines software updates and improves the bomber’s interoperability with other systems. It also says the upgrade includes better displays, flight hardware and survivability enhancements.

The same report notes that the B-2 fleet, now numbering 19 aircraft following two crashes, remains the US Air Force’s only penetrating aircraft until the B-21s reach initial operational capability at Ellsworth Air Force Base. It also notes that the B-21’s initial operational capability (IOC) timeline is still undisclosed.

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