The single wing B-2 has been stealthily slipping through skies for over 20 years, but until now its ability to carry nuclear munitions was limited.
That all changes with a report from the Senate Armed Services Committee on Strategic Forces that lays out a plan to arm the B-2A stealth bomber with a state-of-the-art nuclear cruise missile, still in development.
The Long-Range Standoff Weapon (LRSO) has been testing well for months. It should be, considering the best minds at Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northropp Grumman, and Raytheon have been working together to perfect the LRSO. Even DARPA had its hand in the plan for a missile like this to be fielded sometime over the next few years.
The U.S. is concerned that as technologies advance over the coming years, stealth will slip into the background and jets will require a "standoff capability" .
FAS Strategic Security Blog has a good full write-up on the topic if interested in learning more.
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