In December of 2022, a B-2 performed an emergency landing at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. Its personnel were able to safely maneuver to the ground unharmed, but a fire crew then had to intervene to douse the stricken aircraft. According to Air Force Times, an issue with the B-2’s systems had set in while the aircraft was mid-flight — the details of the malfunction have not been disclosed.
It seemed that the incident was, thankfully, far less major than it could have been. However, the world of aviation is not a place to take risks. For the sake of crews and the aircraft (each of which is worth an astonishing $1 billion), it was vital to investigate the cause of the incident to determine if the rest of the B-2 fleet could be susceptible to the issue.
While this work was underway, the bombers remained grounded. Explaining the decision, Air Force Colonel Daniel Diehl stated to The Hill that “Our number one concern is the safety and security of our personnel and fleet.”
With safety and security being paramount, the military also emphasized that it would continue to wield as much power as ever while the B-2 was out of action. According to The Hill, Pentagon press secretary, Brigadier General Pat Ryder, emphasized to reporters that there would continue to be “aircraft, ships, forces on the ground available to confront any threat that … may pop up. So no vulnerabilities at this time.”
