Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit variant
Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit B-2A Block 20
Interim configuration of three aircraft (AV-17 to AV-19) with an interim capability to launch nuclear and conventional munitions, including the GAM guided weapon.
Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit sheet
- 3
- Units built
- 11,000 km
- Range
History
The second production block covered just three airframes: AV-17 Spirit of Florida (92-0700), in service from 3 July 1996; AV-18 Spirit of Oklahoma (93-1085), from 15 May 1996; and AV-19 Spirit of Kitty Hawk (93-1086), from 30 August 1996.
Block 20 gave the B-2 an interim nuclear and conventional employment capability the previous block lacked, including the GAM guided munition. The configuration was tested with Mk-84 2,000-pound general-purpose bombs and with CBU-87/B Combined Effects Munition cluster bombs in low-altitude, full-bay release.
Like the rest of the fleet, all three went through Palmdale for modification to Block 30 standard. The irony of the batch is that the first Block 20 delivered was the last to be upgraded: Spirit of Oklahoma left Whiteman for the Northrop Grumman modification line at Palmdale, California, in early January 1999.