Watch a B-2 Spirit bomber refuel and then rotate dorsal fuel receptacle to achieve full stealthiness

Published on: March 11, 2015 at 6:00 PM

Interesting video shows B-2 stealth bombers refuel over Montana

Usually, videos of U.S. Air Force B-2 stealth bombers getting fuel from KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refuelers are interesting for showing the plane’s inboard elevons continuously moving to keep the aircraft in the proper position for refueling.

These are just two of the Spirit’s control surfaces which include a two sets of drag rudders and speed brakes on both wings, near the wingtips, and the Gust Load Alleviation System on the plane’s “beaver tail” assembly.

In this case, the clip is particularly interesting as it clearly shows the Spirit’s rotating dorsal receptacle: once the refueling has finished the fuel intake required to connect with the tanker’s flying boom can’t remain exposed as it would become RCS “hotspot” rendering the B-2 less than completely stealthy.

For this reason the aircraft has an internal system which rotates the receptacle and hides it in such a way the aircraft is once again completely stealth.

By the way, footage was filmed over Montana from a 151st ARW KC-135 from Salt Lake City, Utah, during aerial refueling mission of three B-2s, on Feb. 18, 2015.

 

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David Cenciotti is a journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written five books and contributed to many more ones.
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