[A.A. Cunningham]

Just what the USAF needs right now is a loss of a 1.2 billion dollar aircraft that will probably not be replaced because of a falling military budget.

It won't be replaced since the B-2 line was shut down a long time ago. The Air Force has much more pressing needs than replacing a single airplane with a 40% operational readiness rate.

[geopyg]

A quick google came up with 20 B-2s were built - I suppose that is close? (132 were originaly budgeted).

[Secret Agent Man]

Frick, the loss of just one b-2 is huge. Glad the pilots are okay, but FRICK!

[magellan]

"It won't be replaced since the B-2 line was shut down a long time ago. The Air Force has much more pressing needs than replacing a single airplane with a 40% operational readiness rate."

Just pull one of these out of the boneyard to replace it:

[blackpacific]

A 40% readiness rate to perform missions that no aircraft in the history of modern warfare could ever accomplish. The 40% readiness rate unfairly includes a 14 month layup to install the AHFM surface treatment, which eliminates many of the headaches associated with the original handcrafted surface preps. If the Air Force had been wise back when it mattered, they would have fallen on their swords over keeping the B-2 production line open. If only 3 or 4 had been produced a year, that aircraft would have been in production for ever. Now, the same folks who let the B-2 die are willing to go to bat to keep the F-22 production line going. I do hope the F-22 does not suffer the same fate as the B-2. Modern stealth aircraft are needed badly, and comparing their price to aluminum jets who can’t even get in the fight is not fair. You never want to fight the enemy on an even battlefield, ever.