[CarrotAndStick]

US stealth bomber crashes on Guam

 

B-2 bombers evade radar signals, making them hard to attack

A US B-2 stealth bomber - one of the most expensive military aircraft in the world - has crashed at an air base on the Pacific island of Guam.

The United States Air Force (USAF) said both pilots had ejected safely before the plane came down at Andersen Air Force Base, shortly after take-off.

A spokeswoman said it was the first time a B-2 had crashed.

B-2 bombers, which can evade most radar signals, cost about $1.2bn (£610m) each to build.

They have a range of 6,000 nautical miles (11,112 km) without refuelling and have seen service in Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Fact file: B-2 stealth bomber Profile: Guam

Thick, black smoke could be seen coming from the wreckage following the crash.

Lieutenant Colonel Doug Smith from the USAF told the BBC that the crash would be investigated.

"The two pilots... ejected prior to the crash. One of them was medically evaluated and released and the other is in a stable condition at a naval hospital," he said.

Guam is a US territory 3,700 miles south-west of Hawaii. Its capital is Hagatna.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7260231.stm

 

[meandog]

Wow...was former congressman “B2” Bob Dornan piloting.

[Paladin2]

Id’t be good to make a 50’s type horror movie using this image concept: Return of the B2 Zombie!

[Zap Brannigan]

My old man is a television repairman, he’s got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it.

[IronKros]

wow, it looks like those boys got it down close before ejecting. It is sitting pretty on the airfield and not lost in some field or the ocean. It also looks mainly intact and now strewn about the wilderness.

That takes nerves of steel to hold onto it before bailing.

[doodad]

Why the hazmat and what are trying to recover?

[ccmay]

1.2 billion divided by 300 million is $4 per American. No Big Mac for me today.

[RightWhale]

Looks like a good scorch trail leading back to the pavement.

[raygun]

ping

[driftdiver]

I’m surprised this information was declassified.

[BobinIL]

What was the cause?? Enemy Fire, Mechanical dificulties, lack of spare parts, or just President Bush’s fault???

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

UGH!

[ExpatGator]

I grew up around Naval aviation and have seen quite a few crash aftermaths. All I can say is that is one TOUGH airframe.

[RightField]

bump for later read

[<1/1,000,000th%]

I’m glad the crew got out safely.

Heck we could buy 50 of these a year for what we subsidize HIV research for. Still no vaccine.

[Leisler]

What a waste to be eating through these aircraft bombing 7 guys and a goat in some valley somewhere.

[Fractal Trader]

one of the most expensive military aircraft in the world

Duh....does anyone know of a military aircraft that is more expensive than the B-2, outside of the shuttle, if you wanted to count that as a military aircraft?