By Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization
US Air Force B-2 Stealth Bombers have arrived in Iceland in preparation for Europe-wide Bomber Task Force missions in support of US European Command, a move which aligns with the service’s committment to expanding forward bomber presence.
Simply put, the concept is deterrence, as there are not many stealth aircraft throughout the European continent and, given the range of the B-2, European-launched stealth bombers could easily reach Russia should there be a need for engagement.
The B-2s will engage in “collaborative” training with allies across the European continent, according to an Air Force essay, which refers to the B-2 as “arguably the most strategically significant airplane in the world.”
There is an interest subtext to this deployment, despite the fact that B-2 forward positioning and Bomber Task Force mission patrols are a standard Air Force deployment procedure. Operating B-2s over Europe to hold Russia at risk if necessary signals a vote of Air Force confidence in the B-2, a 34yr-old stealth bomber which has been extensively upgraded to remain relevant and effective until sufficient numbers of the B-21 Raider arrive.
The significant subtext here seems to be that perhaps the Air Force has increased confidence that indeed the upgraded B-2s could overmatch or elude advanced Russian air defenses. For years, Russian news reports have claimed that Russia’s S-400 and S-500 Surface to Air Missile (SAMS) systems have become so advanced that even stealth aircraft are vulnerable. Indeed modern Russian air defenses are known to have increasingly precise, long-range and networked radar system which use digital processors and a greater range of frequencies. Could these advanced air defenses detect a broadband stealth airframe such as the B-2, built to elude low-frequency surveillance radar as well as higher-frequency engagement or targeting radar.
There are several key variables to consider here, as an ability to establish a “track” on a moving stealth target, maintain positioning and “hit” the aircraft is far more difficult to accomplish than simply recognizing that something is “there.” Engagement and actual “hits” of stealth remain an extremely difficult task.
However, Russian air defenses are far more sophisticated, and perhaps the B-2 deployment signifies that the Pentagon has increased confidence in the B-2 due to its expansive ongoing upgrades. Even if advanced Russian air defenses were able to hit a B-2 of years ago, that does not mean they could destroy today’s massively upgraded B-2s. The Air Force has for years been immersed in an intense B-2 upgrade campaign to ensure the platform stays in front of the threats as technology matures.
Perhaps most of all, the B-2 continues to be upgraded with a new sensor technology called Defensive Management Systems, advanced detection systems able to scan for electronic signatures and locate enemy air defenses. To a large degree, it is as simple as it sounds, meaning if advanced sensors can locate enemy air defenses from safe stand-off ranges, then B-2s can simply “elude,” “evade,” or “fly around” Russian air defense while maintaining course on a mission. The B-2 is also being upgraded with a new computer processor which is 1,000-times faster than the aircraft’s previous system. While much of the detail regarding B-2 technology is likely not available for security reasons, senior Air Force leaders have mentioned the Defensive Management System and new computer processor. It is also possible that there have been improvements in the B-2s radar-absorbing coating materials or heat signature management. The B-2 is also being upgraded with improved sensing, fire control and weapons interface such that it can accommodate new weapons such as the upgraded B-61 Mod 12 nuclear bomb.
Kris Osborn is the President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a Highly Qualified Expert with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University
