All language subtitles for B2 Stealth At War

Narrator: IT'S THE WORLD'S
MOST EXPENSIVE

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AND MYSTERIOUS AIRCRAFT.

HIGH FLYING...

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HIGHLY CLASSIFIED...

AND DEADLY ACCURATE.

Woman: THE MOST ACCURATE BOMBING
IN THE HISTORY OF AIR WARFARE.

Narrator: FOR TWO DECADES
THE B-2 STEALTH BOMBER

HAS DEFIED SKEPTICS
AND MYSTIFIED ENEMIES.

THIS IS THE INSIDE STORY...

Man: I COULD FEEL THE BOMBS
GOING OFF

BEFORE THEY DISAPPEARED.

Narrator: HOW THE B-2
SWITCHED COURSE...

Man: IT HAD NEVER BEEN TESTED.

Narrator: OVERCAME CRITICS
AND TRAGEDY...

TO CHANGE THE SHAPE
OF AVIATION FOREVER.

FEBRUARY 2011.

THE ARAB SPRING BLOOMS IN LIBYA.

[PROTESTORS CHANTING]

COLONEL MUAMMAR GADDAFI

ORDERS HIS ARMY TO ATTACK
HIS OWN PEOPLE.

[GUNFIRE]

[CHANTING]

[GUNFIRE]

AN OUTRAGED INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY RESPONDS,

AND THE UNITED NATIONS DECLARES
ALL OF LIBYA A NO-FLY ZONE...

[HORNS HONKING]

BUT HOW BEST TO ENFORCE IT?

5,000 MILES AWAY IN MISSOURI--
INSIDE WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE--

STRICT SECURITY SURROUNDS
THE FLIGHT LINE.

[TELEPHONE RINGS]

HERE, SPECIALLY TRAINED
MAINTENANCE CREWS

PREPARE THE WORLD'S
MOST SECRETIVE AIRCRAFT

FOR POSSIBLE COMBAT.

WHITEMAN HAS HOUSED THE B-2s
IN CLIMATE-CONTROLLED HANGARS

FOR 20 YEARS.

KEEPING THEM COMBAT READY
IS NO EASY FEAT.

Craig Smith: THE SKILL LEVEL
FOR THE MEMBERS

THAT ARE WORKING ON THE B-2
IN PARTICULAR IS VERY UNIQUE.

IT TAKES ANYWHERE
FROM THREE TO FOUR YEARS

TO BE QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED
ON THIS AIRCRAFT.

Narrator:
THE SKIN OF THE BOMBERS
MUST BE FREE OF ANY DENTS

TO MAINTAIN OPTIMUM STEALTH.

Smith: THIS INDIVIDUAL UP HERE

IS PERFORMING A POST-FLIGHT
INSPECTION ON THE AIRCRAFT

TO DETERMINE IF THERE ARE
ANY ANOMALIES OR DEFECTS

THAT NEED TO BE FIXED.

THERE'S A LOT MORE THAT GOES

INTO KEEPING
THIS AIRCRAFT HEALTHY

IN THE AMOUNT OF HOURS IT TAKES

TO MAINTAIN
THE STEALTH CAPABILITIES.

Narrator: IN MARCH 2011,
THE CALL COMES

TO PREP FOR A POSSIBLE MISSION
IN LIBYA.

THE SIX B-2 PILOTS
WITH THE MOST EXPERIENCE

RECEIVE AN UNUSUAL
TOP SECRET ORDER--

THEY ARE TOLD TO SLEEP.

Eric Single:
CREW REST IS THE 12 HOURS
PRIOR TO SHOWING UP TO FLY

THAT A PILOT IS MANDATED
TO HAVE TO DO NOTHING.

Narrator:
RETIRED COLONEL ERIC SINGLE

WAS THE FIRST PILOT EVER
TO FLY THE B-2 IN COMBAT.

HE FOUND PRE-MISSION REST
NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE.

Single: YOU'RE TRYING TO REST,

BUT AT THE SAME TIME
YOU'RE PRETTY EXCITED.

TRYING TO GET SOME SLEEP
DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY

NEVER WORKS OUT WITH WIVES
AND KIDS AND DAYTIME OUTSIDE,

SO IT'S TOUGH TO DO,

BUT YOU GET AS MUCH REST AND
MENTAL PREPARATION AS YOU CAN.

Narrator: MILITARY CHIEFS
ASK FOR THREE STEALTH BOMBERS

TO DO IN LIBYA WHAT THEY'VE
BECOME KNOWN FOR--

KNOCKING DOWN THE DOOR.

Rebecca Grant: THAT MEANS
THE B-2 IS ASSIGNED

TO TAKE DOWN KEY TARGETS
ON NIGHT ONE OF THE CAMPAIGN--

BY KNOCKING DOWN THE DOOR,

YOU WEAKEN THE ENEMY'S
AIR DEFENSES.

Narrator:
AUTHOR DR. REBECCA GRANT

IS THE FOREMOST CIVILIAN EXPERT
ON THE B-2.

Grant: LIBYA IS AN EXAMPLE OF
HOW MUCH THE B-2 IS IN DEMAND.

THESE MISSIONS WERE CLASSIC B-2;

MAKE SURE THAT GADAFFI
COULD NOT USE

THE REMNANTS OF HIS AIR FORCE

TO CHALLENGE NATO AIRCRAFT
ENFORCING THE NO-FLY ZONE.

Narrator:
THE FLIGHT-EQUIPMENT DEPARTMENT

IS THE LAST STOP
BEFORE PILOTS BOARD THE PLANE.

THEY COLLECT SURVIVAL GEAR,

INCLUDING A NINE-MILLIMETER HANDGUN

IN CASE THEY'RE SHOT DOWN
OVER ENEMY TERRITORY.

THEN OUT TO THEIR BOMBERS.

THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY
INTO A B-2--

THE STAIRS ON ITS BELLY--

AND TWO WAYS OUT--

THE STAIRS AGAIN, OR
THE EMERGENCY EJECTION SEATS.

THE INSIDE IS CLASSIFIED,

BUT WE CAN TELL YOU THERE'S
A HUGE SLOPING WINDSCREEN

WITH AN EQUALLY HUGE
INSTRUMENT PANEL.

BEHIND THE TWO PILOT SEATS,

A RECTANGULAR FLOOR SPACE
FOUR FOOT BY SIX FOOT.

JUST BIG ENOUGH TO LIE DOWN.

THEN A TOILET--

SORRY, LIMITED CAPACITY
AND NO PARTITIONS--

AND A MICROWAVE TO WARM UP
BOMBER DOGS, A PILOT FAVORITE.

MARCH 18.

COMMANDERS SEND THREE B-2s
TO ATTACK IN LIBYA.

ENOUGH TO INFLICT THE DAMAGE

OF MORE THAN A HUNDRED
CONVENTIONAL AIRCRAFT.

THEY'LL BE IN LIBYA
IN 12 HOURS--

AND STILL, ONLY A SELECT FEW
KNOW THEY'RE GOING.

FOR MOST OF THE WAY,
THE B-2s APPEAR ON RADAR

AS ORDINARY AIRCRAFT.

THEY MOSTLY FLY ON AUTO PILOT,

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN REST
FOR THE TWO-PERSON CREW

ABOARD EACH BOMBER.

THEY MUST DEAL WITH
THE MANY SYSTEMS ON BOARD

AND TALK WITH CIVILIAN
AND MILITARY AIR CONTROLLERS

TO AVOID A MID-AIR COLLISION.

Kristin Goodwin: THE ONE THING
ABOUT THE B-2

IS IT'S AN INTELLECTUALLY
CHALLENGING AIRCRAFT.

Narrator:
COLONEL KRISTIN GOODWIN

IS VICE WING COMMANDER
AT WHITEMAN.

SHE'S ALSO AN ACTIVE B-2 PILOT.

Goodwin: YOU'RE ALWAYS
GETTING UPDATES,

YOU'RE ENSURING THAT YOUR SYSTEM
IS ACCURATE,

YOU'RE MAKING SURE
YOUR TIMING IS RIGHT,

YOU'RE USUALLY WORKING
WITH ONE OR TWO OTHER AIRCRAFT

IN FORMATION.

IT IS A VERY BUSY TIME
FROM TAKEOFF TO LANDING.

THERE'S NOT A LOT OF TIME
TO SIT BACK.

Narrator: AS THE THREE B-2s
NEAR THE LIBYAN BORDER,

NATO CONFIRMS GADAFFI
HAS NOT BACKED DOWN.

THE MISSION IS A GO.

TIME TO STEALTH UP.

IN THE TOP SECRET COCKPIT OF THE
WORLD'S MOST EXPENSIVE AIRCRAFT

THERE IS A BUTTON LITTLE BIGGER
THAN A LETTER ON YOUR KEYBOARD

AND MARKED WITH THE WORD PEN--
FOR PENETRATION.

THE PEN BUTTON RETRACTS
PROTRUDING ANTENNAE

AND TUCKS NAVIGATION LIGHTS
INTO DIAMOND SHAPED PANELS.

MUCH ELSE IS CLASSIFIED,

BUT IT'S KNOWN THAT THE SHAPE
OF THE BOMBER

TAKES RADAR WAVES
AND BENDS OR SCATTERS THEM.

HAVING NO TAIL SIGNIFICANTLY
REDUCES THE RADAR SIGNATURE...

WHILE THE SAW-TOOTH PATTERN
THAT REPLACES THE TAIL

ALSO DISPERSES ENGINE HEAT
AND INFRARED SIGNATURES.

THE SPECIAL COATING OF THE PLANE

ABSORBS AND BREAKS UP
RADAR WAVES,

AS DOES THE WINDSHIELD.

TO DO SO, IT'S TREATED WITH
A THIN LAYER OF 24-CARAT GOLD.

A B-2 IN FULL STEALTH MODE

HAS THE RADAR SIGNATURE
OF A SEAGULL...

A VERY QUIET ONE.

Single: ONCE YOU GO
INTO ENEMY TERRITORY,

YOU'RE REALLY NOT TALKING
TO ANYBODY AT THAT POINT

BECAUSE YOU WANT TO MINIMIZE
YOUR TRANSMISSIONS,

AND EVEN A RADIO TRANSMISSION
IS AN EMISSION,

SO FOR A STEALTHY AIRPLANE, YOU
DON'T WANT TO DO ANY OF THAT.

Narrator: THE 150-TON B-2s WILL
BE HARD TO DETECT OVER LIBYA,

BUT NOT INVISIBLE
TO THE NAKED EYE.

THE MOON IS AT ITS BRIGHTEST,
MAKING PILOTS NERVOUS.

ON THE GROUND IN LIBYA,

GADDAFI'S SOLDIERS STAND
AT HIGH ALERT

WITH SA-5 GAMMON
SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES

THAT CAN FIRE WITH ACCURACY
TO AN ALTITUDE OF 65,000 FEET--

A SERIOUS THREAT.

12 HOURS AFTER LEAVING MISSOURI,

THE B-2s CROSS
THE BORDER OF LIBYA

UNDER THE COVER OF DARKNESS.

ALREADY THEY'VE LOADED
THEIR SATELLITE-GUIDED WEAPONS

WITH TARGET COORDINATES.

NOW IT'S GO TIME.

THE PRIMARY TARGET--GADDAFI'S
AIR FIELDS AND HANGARS.

BUT SUDDENLY, THERE'S A PROBLEM.

IN ONE OF THE B-2s,

A ONE-TON BOMB JAMS
IN THE ROTARY LAUNCHER.

IN OTHER TYPES OF AIRCRAFT
THERE IS ACCESS TO THE BOMBS,

BUT NOT IN THE B-2.

THE PILOTS CAN'T SEE,
BUT THEY KNOW.

Single:
THE SYSTEM IS VERY QUICK.

YOU KNOW INSTANTANEOUSLY
IF YOU HAVE THE HUNG WEAPON

BECAUSE YOU CAN ACTUALLY
WATCH THE DISPLAY

AND WATCH THE WEAPONS LEAVE
THE PYLON ON YOUR DISPLAY.

SO IF ONE OF THEM DOESN'T,

YOU GET A BIG YELLOW
HASH MARK THROUGH IT.

Narrator:
THEY ROTATE THE LAUNCHER
TO DISCHARGE THE NEXT BOMB.

IT ALSO FAILS TO DISLODGE...
AND THEN ANOTHER...

THREE ONE-TON BOMBS
HOPELESSLY JAMMED.

[GUNFIRE]

TWO STEALTH BOMBERS UNLEASH
THEIR FULL PAYLOAD OF BOMBS--

A DEVASTATING ASSAULT
ON LIBYA'S AIR FORCES.

THEY DROP 16 ONE-TON BOMBS EACH,

ALL DEAD ON TARGET.

THE THIRD B-2--
NOT SO EFFECTIVE.

THREE BOMBS JAM
IN THE LAUNCHER--

AND THERE'S NO FIX
THIS FAR FROM HOME.

Anthony Imondi:
WHEN YOU FLY A BOMBER,

ONE OF THE THINGS
YOU'RE ALWAYS CONCERNED ABOUT

IS A GETTING A HUNG ORDNANCE.

Narrator: COLONEL TONY IMONDI

WAS ONE OF THE FIRST
B-2 COMBAT PILOTS,

AND HE TRAINED MANY OTHERS.

Imondi: YOU TRY TO DROP A BOMB,
IT TRIES TO DROP,

FOR WHATEVER REASON
IT GETS HUNG UP

AND IT'S STUCK
IN YOUR WEAPONS BAY,

IT'S EITHER HANGING BY A WIRE
OR IT DIDN'T FIRE.

SO YOU'RE NOT SURE EXACTLY
WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.

Narrator: WHEN PILOTS OPEN
A B-2'S BOMB BAY DOORS,

THE AIRCRAFT IS MORE VISIBLE
TO RADAR.

IF GADDAFI'S FIGHTER JETS LOCATE
A B-2 AND SHOW UP TO ATTACK,

THAT B-2 HAS NO WAY
OF DEFENDING ITSELF.

STEALTH IS THE ONLY ACE
UP ITS SLEEVE.

THE PILOTS HAVE NO CHOICE.

THEY DROP ALL THEY CAN AND HIT
13 OF THEIR 16 TARGETS,

BUT MUST THEN HEAD FOR HOME--
THREE DODGY BOMBS STILL ABOARD.

Imondi: YOU HAVE TO BE SAFE.

SO IN MOST CASES YOU KEEP
THE WEAPONS BAY DOORS CLOSED,

AND IF YOU CAN, YOU WILL
PUT THAT WEAPON IN A POSITION

WHERE IT CAN'T FALL OUT.

SO IF YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE
A ROTARY LAUNCHER, PER SE,

YOU CAN ROTATE THE LAUNCHER
AND PUT THE BOMB ON THE TOP.

Narrator: GADDAFI'S
SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES

DON'T COME CLOSE
TO HITTING A B-2.

EVEN WITH ONE OF THE THREE
PLANES COMPROMISED,

THE B-2s HOLD ENOUGH FIREPOWER

TO WIPE OUT ALL 45 OF GADDAFI'S
HARDENED AIRCRAFT SHELTERS.

THE STEALTH BOMBER HAS
KNOCKED DOWN THE DOOR IN LIBYA.

GADDAFI AND THE WORLD KNOW IT.

THE BOMBERS MAKE THEIR WAY HOME

AS PRESIDENT OBAMA
MAKES IT OFFICIAL.

Barack Obama: TODAY I AUTHORIZED

THE ARMED FORCES
OF THE UNITED STATES

TO BEGIN A LIMITED
MILITARY ACTION IN LIBYA...

Narrator: THE STEALTH BOMBERS
NEAR WHITEMAN

AFTER 24 HOURS
OF NON-STOP FLYING.

THERE'S STILL NO TIME TO REST

FOR THE PILOTS CARRYING
THE THREE JAMMED BOMBS.

THEIR AIRCRAFT GETS
SPECIAL TREATMENT.

Imondi: WHEN YOU LAND, YOU MUST
TREAT THAT BOMB AS IF IT'S LIVE

AND AS IF IT'S GOING
TO FALL OFF--

SO YOU DO SPECIAL PROCEDURES
WHEN YOU LAND.

YOU GO TO A SPECIAL PLACE
ON THE AIRFIELD,

THEY CALL OUT SPECIAL PEOPLE,

AND YOU JUST VERY CAREFULLY OPEN
THE AIRPLANE UP INCH BY INCH

TO MAKE SURE THAT
THE BOMB'S NOT RESTING

ON THE DOORS OR ANYTHING,

AND GOD FORBID
YOU HAVE AN ACCIDENT,

YOU'RE FAR ENOUGH AWAY THAT
YOU WOULDN'T HURT OTHER PEOPLE.

Narrator: SEVEN MONTHS LATER
A NATO AIRCRAFT

HITS GADAFFI'S CONVOY
AS HE TRIES TO ESCAPE.

REBELS FIND HIM HIDING
IN A DRAINAGE PIPE.

[MEN SHOUTING]

THE CONFLICT IS OVER.

LIBYA WAS THE B-2'S
FOURTH COMBAT MISSION,

ALL OF THEM ORIGINATING
FROM ONE PLACE--

WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE
IN MISSOURI.

IT WAS DECEMBER 17, 1993, THAT
A CROWD FIRST GATHERED HERE

TO GREET THE NATION'S MOST
CLOSELY KEPT AVIATION SECRET.

172 FEET OF AIRCRAFT--
ALL WING, NO TAIL.

THE B-2 SPIRIT MADE
A LASTING IMPRESSION.

Grant: I THINK EVERY FOUR-STAR
GENERAL IN THE AIR FORCE

WAS ASSEMBLED AT THE AIRFIELD
TO WATCH THE B-2 FLY IN.

Man: THE SPIRIT OF MISSOURI
IS HOME.

THE B-2 HAS REACHED
THEIR FINAL PARKING POSITION

IN FRONT OF THE DAIS.

GENERAL LOWE HAS SHUT DOWN
HER ENGINES,

AND NOW BEGINS THE CEREMONY
OFFICIALLY WELCOMING THE PLANE.

Man: ITS ARRIVAL REPRESENTS MORE
THAN A TECHNICAL LEAP FORWARD.

IT ADDS A REVOLUTIONARY NEW
DIMENSION TO AIR WARFARE.

Imondi: WHEN I SAW IT IN FLIGHT,

I THOUGHT WOW,
THIS THING IS SPECIAL.

IT REALLY, THE WORD "MAJESTIC"
CAME TO MIND.

Goodwin: IT JUST HAS A PRESENCE
OF POWER AND PRECISION,

AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT,

IF YOU'RE ON THE END
OF THE RUNWAY

AND YOU SEE THAT B-2 TAKE OFF,

YOU SAY I'M REALLY GLAD
THAT IT'S ON OUR SIDE.

Narrator: THE FIRST AMERICAN
AIRCRAFT ANYTHING LIKE THE B-2

EMERGED IN THE 1940s
WITH THE XB-35.

A BAT-WING SHAPE WAS DESIGNED
TO CREATE MAXIMUM AIRLIFT

FOR LONG-RANGE BOMBING MISSIONS.

THE YB-49 FOLLOWED IT--

SAME SHAPE, MORE ADVANCED,

BUT STEALTH WAS STILL NOT
A CONSIDERATION.

THAT CAME IN THE 1960s,
WITH A FOCUS ON THE COLD WAR.

LOCKHEED BUILT THE SR-71 AND
GAVE IT SOME STEALTH QUALITIES,

INCLUDING A SKIN WITH SPECIAL
RADAR-ABSORBING MATERIALS.

THE SR-71 WAS
A LONG-RANGE SPY PLANE,

BUT NOT A NUCLEAR WAR DETERRENT.

FOR THAT, THE UNITED STATES
NEEDED A STEALTH BOMBER.

Grant: SO THE MISSION OF THE B-2
WAS TO USE STEALTH

TO PENETRATE THE BORDERS
OF THE SOVIET UNION

AND FLY A LONG MISSION,
DROP NUCLEAR BOMBS, AND RETURN.

Narrator:
REDUCING THE RADAR SIGNATURE

MEANT NO TAIL
AND A CURVED DESIGN...

IDEAS AND INNOVATIONS THAT TOOK
A LEAP FORWARD

WITH A PAPER PUBLISHED IN 1964

BY A MATHEMATICIAN
ON THE OTHER SIDE.

Grant: STEALTH WAS ACTUALLY
BASED ON SOME CALCULATIONS

DONE BY A RUSSIAN.

THEY WERE TRANSLATED AND READ
BY A MAN AT LOCKHEED,

WHO REALIZED THAT YOU COULD USE
THESE PRINCIPLES

TO CALCULATE A WAY
TO REDUCE RADAR RETURN

AND FROM THOSE CALCULATIONS
BUILD AN AIRCRAFT.

Narrator: WEAPONS GIANT
THE NORTHROP CORPORATION

COMBINED THE STEALTH DESIGN

WITH RADAR-ABSORBING PAINT
AND MATERIALS.

THE STEALTH CODE WAS CRACKED.

THEY COULD MAKE A PLANE
INVISIBLE TO RADAR,

BUT THEY COULDN'T HIDE
THE PRICE TAG...

$2.13 BILLION PER PLANE--

AT THE TIME, THE SAME COST AS
THIRTEEN 747 PASSENGER JETS.

WHY SO MUCH?

JUST OVER $1 BILLION PER PLANE
FOR MATERIALS AND MANUFACTURE,

MAKING THE B-2 LITERALLY
WORTH ITS WEIGHT IN GOLD.

THEN NORTHROP ALSO HAD TO SET UP
A SPECIAL TOP-SECRET PLANT

TO BUILD THE PLANES,

AND BEFORE THAT
THEY SPENT $20 BILLION

ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

THAT COST WAS TO BE SPREAD

OVER THE INITIAL ORDER OF
132 AIRCRAFT...

BUT ONLY 21 WERE EVER BUILT.

20 B-2s REMAIN.

THE 21st BECAME A CASE STUDY.

EVEN A $2 BILLION PLANE
CAN HAVE A FATAL FLAW.

FEBRUARY 23, 2008.

THE SPIRIT OF KANSAS TAKES OFF

FROM THE U.S. AIR FORCE BASE
IN GUAM,

THE END OF A FOUR-MONTH
DEPLOYMENT.

THE JET PITCHES UP...

THEN STALLS.

THE PILOTS HAVE A SPLIT SECOND

TO WORK OUT
IF THEY CAN SAVE THE PLANE.

THEN A WING HITS THE GROUND.

THEY REALIZE ALL IS LOST,
AND THEY EJECT.

JUST 17 SECONDS AFTER TAKEOFF

THE B-2 CRASHES
AND BURSTS INTO FLAMES.

THE CULPRIT--WATER.

GUAM'S HUMIDITY CAUSES
SPEED SENSORS TO MALFUNCTION.

THEY TELL THE SYSTEM IT'S GOING
14 MILES AN HOUR FASTER

THAN ITS ACTUAL ACCELERATION.

THE ONBOARD COMPUTER
COMMANDS FULL NOSE UP.

BUT WITHOUT ENOUGH SPEED

TO SUPPORT THEIR
HIGH-PITCHED TAKEOFF,

THEY LOSE LIFT AND CRASH.

Grant: ONE GOOD THING
ABOUT THE GUAM CRASH

WAS IT TURNED OUT TO HAVE
A VERY CLEAR ANSWER.

IT WAS A PRETTY EASY ITEM TO FIX
ON THE MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST.

Narrator: OTHER B-2 PILOTS
FIND GREAT COMFORT

IN THE SAFE EJECTION
OF THEIR COLLEAGUES.

Imondi: YOU DON'T KNOW
TILL YOU FIRST USE THE SEAT

IF IT'S GOING TO WORK,

AND THE SEATS WORKED
AND THEY WERE ALIVE

TO TELL US WHAT HAPPENED
TO THAT B-2.

Narrator:
SIMILAR FOR THE PLANE ITSELF--

WOULD IT WORK IN COMBAT?

SOME WONDERED IF THE B-2
WOULD EVER BE TESTED.

AFTER FIRST DELIVERY
TO WHITEMAN,

THE B-2s SAT AT THE READY
FOR SIX LONG YEARS.

WITH THE COLD WAR OVER,
THEY LANGUISHED.

THEN THE STEALTH BOMBER
FINALLY GOT ITS CHANCE--

NOT IN RUSSIA
OR THE MIDDLE EAST,

BUT IN YUGOSLAVIA.

Imondi: WE WOULD HAVE NEVER
PICKED YUGOSLAVIA

AS THE PLACE WHERE WE THOUGHT

THE B-2 WOULD CUT ITS TEETH,
ITS COMBAT TEETH,

BUT THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.

Narrator: JANUARY 1999.

SERBIAN SECURITY FORCES
EXECUTE 45 KOSOVO ALBANIANS.

IT'S THE LATEST WAVE OF VIOLENCE

IN WHAT BECOMES KNOWN GLOBALLY
AS ETHNIC CLEANSING.

Tony Blair: THIS IS
A HUMANITARIAN CATASTROPHE

THAT WE HAVE TO AVOID.

THERE ARE TENS OF THOUSANDS
OF PEOPLE THAT WILL DIE

OR BE DRIVEN FROM THEIR HOMES.

Narrator: SERBIAN LEADER
SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC

AMASSES HIS FORCES
ON THE KOSOVO BORDER.

FIGHTING ESCALATES.

Grant: THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA
IS IN FULL-ON DISINTEGRATION.

THIS BRINGS ON
THE KOSOVO CRISIS,

AND NATO DECIDES FOR
THE FIRST TIME IN ITS HISTORY

TO GO TO WAR.

Narrator: PRESIDENT CLINTON

CALLS ON WHITEMAN'S
B-2 COMMANDERS.

AFTER A DECADE OF NOTHING
BUT PRACTICE RUNS,

THE STEALTH BOMBERS
FINALLY HAVE THE CHANCE

TO SHOW WHAT THEY CAN DO.

Imondi: WHEN THE CALL CAME,

WE WERE MORE THAN READY,
WE WERE ANXIOUS.

Narrator:
IT FALLS ON COLONEL TONY IMONDI
TO PICK THE AIRMEN.

NO ONE HAS EVER FLOWN THE B-2
IN COMBAT.

ALL 50 PILOTS WANT THE CHANCE.

TONY MUST CHOOSE FOUR.

Imondi: IT WAS THE QUIET,
COMPETENT AVIATOR

THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR,

ONE WHO WASN'T LOOKING TO
COLLECT MEDALS AND TROPHIES

FOR HIS TROPHY CASE,

BUT YET WORK SILENTLY
AND DILIGENTLY--

WITH A TEAM MEMBER,
THERE ARE TWO PILOTS IN A B-2--

TO GET THE JOB DONE.

Narrator: ONE OF THEM
IS ERIC SINGLE.

Single:
A VERY HUGE RESPONSIBILITY.

YOU KNEW THE AIRPLANE,
YOU KNEW THE MISSION,

BUT IT HAD NEVER BEEN TESTED.

SO YOU HAD A LOT OF UNKNOWNS
OUT THERE.

Narrator: ALSO SET TO MAKE
ITS COMBAT DEBUT IN KOSOVO--

THE JDAM.

A JDAM IS A BOEING-BUILT
ATTACHMENT

THAT CONVERTS ANY NUMBER
OF FREE-FALLING BOMBS

INTO PRECISION-GUIDED WEAPONS.

BOMB LOADERS STRAP ON
THE MOVABLE TAIL FINS

AND THE GPS GUIDANCE SYSTEMS.

THE B-2 CAN CARRY 16
2,000-POUND JDAM BOMBS,

OR AS MANY AS 80
500-POUND JDAMs.

Imondi: WE WERE TRAINING
WITH THE JDAM WEAPON

IN OUR WEAPON SYSTEM,

BUT LIKE MOST TRAINING DAYS,

WE DON'T GO OUT AND DROP
A LOT OF WEAPONS IN TRAINING

BECAUSE THEY'RE EXPENSIVE
AND WE JUST CAN'T AFFORD TO.

SO THERE WAS SOME QUESTION
IN MY MIND

HOW THE JDAM WAS GOING
TO PERFORM

IN ITS FIRST COMBAT VENTURE,
AS WELL AS THE B-2.

Narrator: NO MORE DRILLS.

IT'S A LIVE RUN.

MARCH 23, 1999.

FOUR PILOTS IN TWO B-2 BOMBERS
TAKE OFF FOR KOSOVO.

FOR THEIR FIRST COMBAT MISSION--
A 30-HOUR RETURN TRIP.

AS THEY REACH THE MEDITERRANEAN

THEY APPEAR ON RADAR
AS REGULAR AIRCRAFT.

Single: AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL
KEPT TELLING US,

"HEY, HOW FAR ARE YOU GOING
UP HERE,

DON'T YOU KNOW THAT'S ALL
RESTRICTED AIRSPACE UP THERE?"

AND EVENTUALLY WE JUST
HAD TO TURN THEM OFF

BECAUSE THEY KEPT ASKING
QUESTIONS WE COULDN'T ANSWER

ABOUT WHO WE WERE
AND WHERE WE WERE GOING,

AND THAT TYPE OF THING.

Narrator: THE TWO B-2s
ENTER STEALTH MODE.

PILOTS ALSO SWITCH OFF

ALL UNNECESSARY LIGHTS
ON THE FLIGHT DECK

AND CLIMB TO AN ALTITUDE
THAT REDUCES THEIR CONTRAILS.

A COMPUTER DISPLAYS
THE BEST STRATEGY.

IT SHOWS UP ON SCREEN
AS A BLUE LINE.

Grant: THE BLUE LINE IS
THE COURSE THE B-2 PILOTS CHOOSE

IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE THE STEALTH
PROPERTIES OF THEIR AIRCRAFT

AND ELUDE MOST OF THE THREATS
FROM SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES

OR FROM ENEMY FIGHTERS.

IT USES EVERYTHING THE B-2 HAS--

STEALTH, SPEED,
ALTITUDE, HEADING--

IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE ITS CHANCE
OF SUCCEEDING ON THE MISSION.

Imondi: THE REAL QUESTION WAS

WOULD THE ENEMY
BE ABLE TO SEE US,

WOULD THEY SEND FIGHTERS UP
TO JOIN ON US,

WOULD THEY TRY
TO ENGAGE WITH US,

OR WOULD ALL THE MONEY
WE INVESTED IN THIS AIRPLANE

FINALLY PAY OFF?

Grant: THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA HAS
PRETTY FORMIDABLE AIR DEFENSES,

THEY HAVE AN AIR FORCE
OF ABOUT 90 AIRCRAFT,

THEY HAVE MODERN
SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES,

THEY HAVE ALREADY GIVEN
NATO PILOTS

AN OCCASIONAL RUN FOR THEIR
MONEY OVER THIS AIR SPACE.

Single:
YOU'RE OVER ENEMY TERRITORY

FOR A GOOD HOUR,
HOUR AND A HALF.

YOUR EYES ARE GLUED THERE
TO MAKE SURE THAT NOBODY

IS TRACKING YOU OR EVEN
SEEING YOU OUT THERE.

Narrator: IT'S A COLD
SPRING NIGHT OVER KOSOVO.

14 HOURS INTO THEIR FLIGHT

PILOTS CONFIRM
THE MISSION IS A GO.

THE AIRCRAFT SHUDDER
AS THEY DISCHARGE FIVE BOMBS

FROM TWIN ROTARY PYLONS.

THE B-2'S GUIDED BOMBS
STRIKE SERBIAN AIRFIELDS.

32 DIRECT HITS.

THE SERBS SCRAMBLE
A DOZEN MIG-29s.

THE ENEMY FIGHTERS SCAN
THE NIGHT SKY FOR THE B-2s.

IT'S TENSE AND DANGEROUS.

Single: WE DID HEAR, YOU KNOW,
THAT THE FIGHTERS WERE AIRBORNE.

THAT KIND OF GIVES YOU PAUSE.

Narrator:
NATO SENDS UP FIGHTER JETS
FOR ADDED PROTECTION,

BUT THE B-2s FOLLOW THEIR
BLUE LINES OUT OF CONFLICT--

NO SIGN OF DETECTION.

NIGHT ONE--
TRIUMPH AND RELIEF.

WHEN THEY RETURN TO WHITEMAN,

SENIOR MASTER SERGEANT
CRAIG SMITH WAS THERE.

Smith: WHEN WE GET THE CALL

TO FIND OUT THAT IT DID
ITS MISSION

AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN
WORKING TOWARDS FOR SIX YEARS

AND NOT REALLY KNOWING IF IT
WAS GOING TO WORK IN COMBAT

AND TO FINALLY HEAR THEM SAY

THAT AIRCRAFT HAS PERFORMED
ITS MISSION

AND RETURNING TO WHITEMAN

WAS A SENSE OF SUCCESS AND PRIDE
AT THE SAME TIME.

Narrator:
BUT IT'S FAR FROM OVER.

WHITEMAN EXPECTED THE B-2s
TO BE USED

FOR THE FIRST THREE DAYS
OF THE WAR ONLY.

INSTEAD, NATO COMMANDERS CALL
ON THE BOMBERS AGAIN AND AGAIN.

Grant: THE OBJECTIVE WAS JUST
TO FLY FOR THREE NIGHTS,

HIT HARD, AND CONVINCE MILOSEVIC

TO GIVE UP HIS PERSECUTION
OF THE ETHNIC ALBANIANS.

WHAT HAPPENED IN FACT

WAS THAT NATO ENDED UP
RUNNING A 78-DAY AIR WAR.

THEY DEPLOYED MORE AIRCRAFT,

THEY DUG IN AND THEY DECIDED
TO FIGHT IT OUT.

Imondi: THE WEATHER
IN YUGOSLAVIA WAS BAD,

AND THE B-2 WAS THE ONLY WEAPON
SYSTEM THAT HAD THE JDAM,

SO FOR 78 DAYS
THAT WAR CONTINUED

AND WE CONTINUED TO FLY B-2
SORTIES IN SUPPORT OF THAT WAR.

Narrator:
THE DEMAND STRAINS RESOURCES,

BUT THE RESULTS SPEAK
FOR THEMSELVES--

EIGHT OUT OF TEN TARGETS
HIT ON THE FIRST PASS.

IN THE FIRST EIGHT WEEKS
OF COMBAT,

THE B-2s ONLY FLY 3%
OF THE COMBAT SORTIES

BUT STRIKE 33% OF ALL TARGETS.

Grant: KOSOVO REALLY PROVED
THAT THE NAYSAYERS WERE WRONG

ABOUT THE B-2.

THE COMBINATION OF STEALTH
AND PRECISION

WAS EVERYTHING THAT
THE ADVOCATES OF THE B-2

HAD EVER HOPED FOR AND MORE.

Narrator:
IT'S AN A-PLUS REPORT CARD...

UNTIL A DEVASTATING MISHAP.

[SIRENS]

IN THE MIDDLE

OF THE THREE-MONTH-LONG
KOSOVO CONFLICT,

FIVE BOMBS FROM A B-2 HIT
THE CHINESE EMBASSY IN BELGRADE.

THREE CHINESE JOURNALISTS
LAY DEAD--

27 OTHERS INJURED.

IT'S AN INTERNATIONAL DISASTER

THAT THREATENS
PEACEKEEPING EFFORTS

AND BRINGS THE B-2
UNDER DIPLOMATIC FIRE.

THE U.S. AIR FORCE IMMEDIATELY
LAUNCHES AN INVESTIGATION.

IN WASHINGTON, THEY EXONERATE
THE B-2 AND BLAME THE C.I.A.,

WHO PROVIDED THE COORDINATES.

Man: THE ATTACK WAS A MISTAKE.

Man: I FIND IT EMBARRASSING THAT
WE DIDN'T HAVE IN OUR DATABASES

THE PRECISE LOCATION
OF THE CHINESE EMBASSY.

Grant: THE BOMBING
OF THE CHINESE EMBASSY

WAS A HUGE CONTROVERSY,

BUT A BLACK EYE PERHAPS MORE FOR
THE INTELLIGENCE SYSTEM OVERALL

THAN FOR THE B-2 ITSELF.

IN A STRANGE WAY, IT PROVED
EVERYTHING WE HAD ALREADY SEEN

WITH THE B-2.

IT WAS DEVASTATINGLY ACCURATE.

Narrator: ON JUNE 10, 1999,

THE WAR IN KOSOVO ENDS

WHEN SERBIA FINALLY AGREES
TO A PEACE DEAL.

NATO USED NO GROUND FORCES
AT ALL

BUT RELIED ENTIRELY
ON AIR POWER.

THE B-2'S DEBUT ROLE
WAS CRUCIAL.

PRESIDENT CLINTON VISITS
WHITEMAN FOR THE CELEBRATION.

Bill Clinton: MOST AMERICANS
WILL NEVER KNOW

HOW HARD THIS WAS
OR HOW HARD OUR FORCES WORKED;

THE PILOTS, THE CREWS,

THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE IT HAPPEN
ON THE GROUND.

BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW
THAT WE ARE VERY PROUD OF YOU.

Narrator: KOSOVO WAS THE B-2'S
SHAKEDOWN CONFLICT,

AND ITS OPERATORS LEARNED
IMPORTANT LESSONS.

EACH SORTIE TO KOSOVO AND BACK
MEANT SOME 30 HOURS IN THE AIR.

THE PILOTS ARE SUPPOSED
TO TAKE TURNS SLEEPING,

BUT ADRENALINE MAKES THAT TOUGH.

Single:
SOME GUYS COULDN'T SLEEP,

TOO KEYED UP ON THE MISSIONS,
YOU KNOW, THEY CAME BACK, SAID,

"NAH, I WAS AWAKE
THE WHOLE DARN TIME."

Narrator: PART OF THE PROBLEM--

THIS WAS A PLANE BUILT
FOR STEALTH, NOT COMFORT,

ESPECIALLY FOR MISSIONS
20 OR 40 HOURS LONG.

Goodwin: THE ENGINEERS,
WHEN THEY BUILT THE AIRCRAFT,

THEY DIDN'T PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT

INTO THE HUMAN DYNAMICS
OF FLYING LONG DURATIONS.

THEY PUT ALL THEIR ENERGY INTO
THE STEALTHINESS OF THE PLANE

AND ITS CAPABILITIES.

IT'S NOT ABOUT COMFORT.

Narrator: THE ONLY SPACE
TO LIE DOWN

IS ON A HARD FLOOR
BY THE TOILET.

ERIC SINGLE IMPROVISES.

HE FITS HIS
$2.1 BILLION AIRCRAFT

WITH A FOLDING LAWN CHAIR--

PRICE TAG, $8.88.

Single: I GOT
A LOT OF FUNNY LOOKS

THE FIRST TIME WE
BROUGHT IT OUT THERE

UNTIL A COUPLE OTHER PEOPLE
TRIED USING IT,

AND THEY SAID,
"THIS IS WONDERFUL.

THIS BEATS THE HECK
OUT OF LAYING ON THE FLOOR."

Narrator: THE PLANE ITSELF
MUST ALSO ADAPT

TO STAY AHEAD
OF COUNTERMEASURES.

IT'S UPDATED WITH NEW
SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS

AND OTHER ADVANCES
IN TECHNOLOGY.

THESE ARE READY TO GO IN 2001

WHEN AMERICA FACES HER DARKEST
HOUR SINCE PEARL HARBOR.

[SIRENS]

SEPTEMBER 11, 2001.

TERRORISTS ATTACK ON U.S. SOIL.

THE B-2 BECOMES A CRITICAL PART
OF THE MILITARY RESPONSE.

George W. Bush: MAKE NO MISTAKE.

THE UNITED STATES
WILL HUNT DOWN AND PUNISH

THOSE RESPONSIBLE
FOR THESE COWARDLY ACTS.

Narrator:
AL QAEDA IN AFGHANISTAN

SITS CLEARLY
IN AMERICA'S CROSSHAIRS--

BUT THE SHEER DISTANCE

REPRESENTS THE GREATEST CHALLENGE YET

FOR THE B-2 AND ITS CREW.

COMMANDERS DEPLOY
SIX STEALTH BOMBERS

FOR A THREE-DAY CAMPAIGN.

FROM WHITEMAN
TO AFGHANISTAN AND BACK

BECOMES THE LONGEST NON-STOP
BOMBING MISSION IN HISTORY--

MORE THAN 44 HOURS
OF CONTINUOUS FLIGHT.

THE B-2'S RANGE
IS ONLY 6,000 MILES--

LESS THAN A 747 PASSENGER JET.

TO ANSWER THE CALL
IN SUCH A FARAWAY PLACE,

THE B-2 MUST RELY MORE THAN EVER
ON PARTNERS IN THE SKY--

MIDAIR REFUELING TANKERS.

Single: IT'S ONE OF THE TOUGHER
PARTS OF FLYING THE B-2

BECAUSE YOU'RE FLYING SO CLOSE
TO ANOTHER LARGE AIRPLANE.

Narrator: ON THE WAY
TO AFGHANISTAN,

BOTH PILOTS
MUST TAKE THEIR SEATS

EACH TIME THEY ALIGN
WITH A TANKER.

Single: YOU HAVE TO BE
VERY PRECISE

ABOUT WHERE YOU PLACE
YOUR AIRPLANE.

THE BOOM ON A TANKER IS
STEERABLE BY THE BOOM OPERATOR,

BUT IT'S ONLY STEERABLE
WITHIN ABOUT A 20-FOOT BOX.

Narrator: A WRONG MOVE
FROM EITHER AIRCRAFT

COULD BE DISASTROUS.

Single: A LOT OF GUYS GET WHAT
WE CALL THE TEN-MINUTE WANDERS.

YOU SOMETIMES
LOSE CONCENTRATION,

LOSE FOCUS ON THAT,

AND YOU'LL FIND YOURSELF
ALL OF A SUDDEN

WANDERING OFF YOUR VISUAL CUES
THERE AND HAVING TO GET BACK ON.

Narrator: THE B-2s MID-AIR
REFUEL AS MANY AS FIVE TIMES

JUST TO GET TO AFGHANISTAN--

BUT ONCE THERE,
THEY KNOCK DOWN THE DOORS.

THE TARGETS ARE FEW
AND POORLY DEFENDED.

AS EXPECTED, THEIR MISSION
IS OVER IN JUST THREE DAYS.

BUT THERE'S NOT LONG TO WAIT

BEFORE THE B-2 IS TAPPED
FOR ANOTHER COMBAT ZONE--

ONE FAR MORE DANGEROUS.

Grant: OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM,
OR GULF WAR II,

BEGAN IN MARCH OF 2003.

IT WAS VERY DIFFERENT FROM
THE OPERATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN

BECAUSE SADDAM HUSSEIN
HAD A MAJOR ARMY,

A SIGNIFICANT AIR FORCE, AND
DENSE SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES.

EVEN THOUGH THE COALITION

HAD BEEN FLYING
OVER THE NO-FLY ZONES

AND PICKING AWAY
AT THESE AIR DEFENSES,

IRAQ AND BAGHDAD ESPECIALLY

WAS STILL A VERY HEAVILY
DEFENDED TARGET.

Narrator: AT WHITEMAN
THERE'S AN IMPENDING SENSE

THAT SOMETHING
IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

PILOTS FINE TUNE THEIR FLIGHT
EQUIPMENT AND SURVIVAL GEAR.

Man: EVERYTHING FEELS GOOD?

Woman: YEAH, THIS FEELS GOOD.

Narrator: KOSOVO AND AFGHANISTAN

TAUGHT THE SQUADRON
A GREAT DEAL ABOUT COMFORT.

Dennis Speicher:
COME INTO OUR MAIN SHOP,

THIS IS OUR MAIN WORK AREA,

THIS IS WHERE WE DO
ALL THE EQUIPMENT AT.

WE WORK ON HELMETS,
HARNESSES, PARACHUTES.

YOU NAME IT, WE HAVE IT.

Narrator:
SERGEANT DENNIS SPEICHER
RUNS THE LIFE SUPPORT ROOM.

WHAT THEY WOULD DO
IS THEY WOULD COME

AND WE WOULD HAVE TO ISSUE OUT
A LONG-DURATION BAG.

THIS IS STRICTLY
ANOTHER SLEEPING COT

THAT WE'RE LOOKING INTO--

IT'S LIGHTWEIGHT,
REALLY QUICK AND EASY...

URINARY BAGS IF THEY NEED 'EM.

WE CALLED 'EM PIDDLE PACKS,

BASICALLY IF THEY NEED
TO GO PEE.

IF THEY NEED
TO RELIEVE THEMSELVES,

THEY USE A BAG FOR THAT.

Narrator: THEY TAKE OFF,

HIT THE IDEAL CRUISING ALTITUDE
OF 50,000 FEET, AND SETTLE IN.

THEIR TARGETS SIT
19 HOURS AWAY IN IRAQ.

AS THEY DRAW CLOSE,
THEY ARM THEIR BOMBS

AND MOVE TO COMBAT ALTITUDE--
A CLASSIFIED HEIGHT.

THEY STEALTH UP, CHARGE IN,
AND DROP THEIR BOMBS.

THIS IS THE FIRST NIGHT OF WHAT
BECOMES KNOWN AS SHOCK AND AWE,

AND THE B-2 DELIVERS BOTH.

SPECIFIC B-2 TARGETS
REMAIN CLASSIFIED,

BUT BOMBS HAMMER THE COUNCIL
OF MINISTRIES BUILDING,

AND THE WHOLE WORLD GETS
AN UPFRONT LOOK

AT AMERICAN FIREPOWER.

THE B-2 BOMB RAIDS DECIMATE
SADDAM'S AIR FORCE,

BUT HIS GROUND FORCES
REMAIN FORMIDABLE.

AND A WEEK INTO THE WAR,
HE CATCHES A BREAK.

A MASSIVE SANDSTORM

ENGULFS ALLIED GROUND FORCES
FIGHTING TOWARD BAGHDAD.

Grant: SADDAM HUSSEIN
SAW THIS SANDSTORM

AS PERHAPS HIS LAST BIG CHANCE.

HE THOUGHT THAT
AS THE GROUND FORCES STOPPED

HE COULD START TO USE
THE IRREGULAR FORCES

TO ATTACK THE REAR AREAS
AND THESE STRUNG-OUT LINES.

Narrator: AMERICAN SOLDIERS
HUNKER DOWN.

THEY'RE VULNERABLE TO ATTACK.

IN IRAQ, U.S. COMMANDERS
DECIDE TO EXPERIMENT.

COULD A LONE B-2 ATTACK
SADDAM HUSSEIN'S FORCES

THROUGH A BLIZZARD OF SAND?

Grant: SADDAM HUSSEIN THOUGHT

THAT NOTHING COULD FLY
DURING THE SANDSTORM

AND THAT HIS ELITE REPUBLICAN
GUARD'S ARMORED FORCES

WOULD BE SAFE.

Narrator: BUT A B-2 CAN SEE
WHERE OTHERS CANNOT.

Grant: A B-2 WAS USED
TO FLY DURING THE STORM,

TO USE ITS SYNTHETIC
APERTURE RADAR

AND CHECK FOR REVETTED TANKS
AND HEAVY ARMOR

IN ONE OF THE KEY
REPUBLICAN GUARD'S DIVISIONS

GUARDING BAGHDAD.

Narrator:
SYNTHETIC APERTURE RADAR

USES THE MOVEMENT
OF THE AIRCRAFT

TO COLLECT INFORMATION
FROM MULTIPLE POINTS

AND CREATE AN IMAGE OF A TARGET.

A B-2 MOVES IN AND FLIES
HIGH ABOVE THE SANDSTORM.

ITS RADAR SEES THROUGH THE SAND

TO TANKS AND CONTROL STATIONS
ON THE GROUND.

THE PILOTS IDENTIFY 16 TARGETS

AND BOMB EACH ONE
WITH LETHAL PRECISION.

THEY BLOW THE IRAQI ARMY
TO SMITHEREENS,

AND WITH IT, SADDAM'S LAST HOPE.

THE SECRET SCIENCE
BEHIND THE STEALTH BOMBER

REMAINS THE ENVY OF THE WORLD.

EVEN AFTER 20 YEARS OF SERVICE,
THE B-2 IS STILL ONE OF A KIND.

Grant: FOR THE MOST PART,

THE SECRETS OF THE B-2
STEALTH TECHNOLOGY

HAVE BEEN VERY WELL KEPT.

WE KNOW QUITE A BIT ABOUT IT,

AND YET THE REAL SECRET SAUCE
THAT KEEPS THE B-2 FLYING,

GIVES IT THE TACTICAL EDGE,

REMAINS RIGHT WHERE IT SHOULD,
IN THE SECRET REALM.

Narrator: AMERICA TAPS
THE B-2'S ICONIC STATUS

FOR ANOTHER KIND OF MISSION:
DETERRENCE.

THE SPIRIT OF MISSOURI
WAS ONE OF TWO B-2s

THAT FLEW TO SOUTH KOREA
IN MARCH 2013.

THIS WAS A NOT-SO-STEALTHY
EXERCISE

TO TEMPER NORTH KOREA'S
WARMONGERING.

Grant: THE B-2 IS VIEWED
AS THE MAN OF STEEL

OF AMERICAN AIR POWER.

YOU SEND THE B-2 ON A MISSION,

AND IT GETS
EVERYONE'S ATTENTION.

THIS IS A FORMIDABLE WEAPON.

IT CAN CARRY NUCLEAR WEAPONS,

IT CAN CARRY
CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS,

AND IT, PERHAPS MORE THAN
ANY OTHER SINGLE AIRCRAFT,

SYMBOLIZES THE MIGHT
AND THE RESOLVE

AND THE COMMITMENT TO DETERRENCE

THAT THE U.S. HAS
IN THE PACIFIC.

Narrator: IRAN KNOWS AS WELL--

THE B-2 IS A STEALTH AIRCRAFT

CAPABLE OF CARRYING THE 15-TON
MASSIVE ORDNANCE PENETRATOR,

OR M.O.P.

THESE BOMBS CAN KNOCK OUT
INSTALLATIONS

BURIED DEEP UNDERGROUND.

HER STEALTH SILENCED
HER CRITICS.

THROUGH 20 YEARS
OF TRIALS AND TRIUMPHS,

THE B-2 HAS MANAGED TO STAY
AHEAD OF AMERICA'S ENEMIES--

LEARNING FROM EACH NEW CONFLICT,
ADAPTING AND UPGRADING.

BUT FOR HOW MUCH LONGER?

Grant: THE B-2 IS PROGRAMMED
TO REMAIN IN SERVICE

UNTIL 2045 OR BEYOND--

BUT LET ME TELL YOU,
THAT IS ONE RUGGED AIRFRAME,

AND AS WE ARE FINDING
WITH THE B-52,

IT'S CAPABLE OF FLYING

MUCH, MUCH, MUCH LONGER
THAN WE THOUGHT.

I WOULD NOT NECESSARILY
EXPECT THE B-2

TO RETIRE IN MY LIFETIME.

Imondi: I THINK THE B-2
STANDS ALONE

AS THE MOST UNIQUE AIRPLANE
EVER BUILT IN THIS COUNTRY.

IT ALSO CHANGED THE DESIGN
OF AIRPLANES FOR THE FUTURE.

IT'S THE PAYLOAD,
IT'S THE RANGE,

IT'S THE STEALTHINESS.

IT'S ALL OF THAT
BALANCED TOGETHER

WITH ALL THE MODIFICATIONS
AND UPGRADES

THAT WILL KEEP IT FORMIDABLE
FOR YEARS AND YEARS TO COME.

Narrator: THE B-2 INSPIRED

NEW-GENERATION
STEALTH HELICOPTERS

THAT WERE REPORTEDLY USED
IN THE RAID

THAT GOT OSAMA BIN LADEN.

THE STEALTH BOMBER
ALSO BLAZED THE TRAIL

FOR STEALTHY UNMANNED AIRCRAFT.

THEY FLY WITHOUT RISKING
THE LIVES OF PILOTS

AT JUST A FRACTION OF THE COST
OF A B-2.

WHILE THE FUTURE IS UNCERTAIN...

STEALTH WILL MOST DEFINITELY
BE A PART OF IT.

AND THE AIRPLANE
THAT SET THE STANDARD

WAS THE B-2 SPIRIT--

STILL, THE WORLD'S
ONE AND ONLY STEALTH BOMBER.