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By Daniel Baxter |
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March 23, 2010 -
Northrop Grumman Corporation has returned to service with the U.S. Air
Force a freshly painted, completely overhauled B-2 stealth bomber known
as the "Spirit of Pennsylvania."
"The Spirit of
Pennsylvania is the latest B-2 to complete a comprehensive overhaul
process called programmed depot maintenance (PDM) that we perform in
Palmdale on every B-2 every seven years," said Dave Mazur, vice
president of long range strike and B-2 program manager for Northrop
Grumman's Aerospace Systems sector. "We've
put this national asset back into its optimal form to serve the
strategic needs of the country." |
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The Spirit of Pennsylvania is the first B-2 to be painted with the
insignia of the newly formed Global Strike Command, added Mazur. It was
also featured in an early 2009 Sports Illustrated photo showing a B-2
flyover of the Rose Bowl football game in
According to Mazur, the programmed depot maintenance process takes
approximately 13 months. It includes a complete restoration of the
bomber's composite airframe to a "like-new" condition, plus inspections,
service and flight testing of all of the aircraft's major mechanical and
electrical systems. To date, every B-2 has completed at least one PDM
cycle.
The B-2 Spirit stealth bomber is one of the most survivable aircraft in
the world. It is the
only aircraft that combines long range, large payload and precision
weapons in a single platform, giving it the ability to penetrate deeply
into enemy airspace and hold at risk an enemy's most valued assets. It
can fly more than 6,000 nautical miles unrefueled and more than 10,000
nautical miles with just one aerial refueling, giving it the ability to
reach any point on the globe within hours.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company
whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and
solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems,
shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial
customers worldwide.
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