📅 Date:

• February 23, 2008

📍 Location:

• Andersen Air Force Base, Guam

🧑‍✈️ Crew:

• Two pilots ejected safely and survived.

⚙️ Cause:

• The crash was caused by moisture intrusion into the aircraft’s air data sensors, which feed the flight control system.

• The sensors provided incorrect speed and angle-of-attack readings to the flight computer.

• As a result, the aircraft rotated too early during takeoff, stalled, and crashed.

📉 Result:

• Complete loss of the aircraft, which had an estimated cost of $1.4 billion.

• It was the first loss of a B-2 since its introduction in the 1990s.

🧪 Investigation:

• The Air Force concluded the crash was not due to pilot error, but rather a software/system failure from the faulty sensor data.

🛡️ Why the B-2 Is So Hard to Shoot Down

The B-2 Spirit is among the most stealthy and survivable aircraft ever built. Here’s why:

1. Stealth Shape & Materials

• The B-2’s flying wing design minimizes radar cross-section (RCS).

• Radar-absorbing materials (RAM) coat the aircraft to absorb incoming radar waves.

2. Low Infrared (IR) Signature

• Engines are buried within the wing to shield the heat signature, making it difficult for infrared-guided missiles to lock on.

3. Radar Cross Section (RCS)

• Its RCS is roughly the size of a bird on radar.

• It’s virtually invisible to early-warning and tracking radars, particularly older systems.

4. High-Altitude Penetration

• The B-2 flies at very high altitudes, often above the range of most surface-to-air missiles (SAMs).

5. Electronic Countermeasures

• It is equipped with advanced electronic warfare systems to jam or confuse enemy radars and missile systems.

6. Mission Planning

• Missions are meticulously planned using satellite intelligence, flight-path analysis, and threat modeling to avoid air defenses entirely.

🧠 Summary

• The 2008 crash was a rare, non-combat-related loss due to sensor failure.

• The B-2 is extremely difficult to shoot down due to its stealth, tactics, and tech — and no B-2 has ever been shot down in combat.