A B-2 Spirit diverted to the UK during a mission from Whiteman Air Force Base.
On Dec. 13, 2023, B-2A Spirit 82-1066 “Spirit of America” landed at RAF Fairford, UK, where it diverted during a Global Power Mission from its homebase at Whiteman AFB, Missouri. Flying as DEATH 31 the stealth bomber had launched on a round-trip mission alongside another B-2, callsign DEATH 32.
DEATH31 & DEATH32 (B-2 stealth bombers) wkg BOSTON CENTER to refuel with TEDDY01 (KC-46) on the AR204NE track over New England. 0650 Zulu
Audio via @liveatc & track via @ADSBex pic.twitter.com/SB1irufiKv
— Thenewarea51 (@thenewarea51) December 13, 2023
After taking part in an exercise over the North Sea, the two bombers were meant to refuel from RAKE 71 and 72, two KC-135 Stratotankers from RAF Mildenhall. However, just one of the tanker launched, therefore, after air-to-air refueling, DEATH 32 departed the area for Whiteman AFB, whereas DEATH 31 diverted to RAF Fairford.
If the reason for the diversion was the lack of tanker support (as all the details seem to suggest), the episode would once again prove the old adage NKAWTG (‘Nobody Kicks Ass Without Tanker Gas’).
#RAKE72 ATA Support for DEATH31/32 FLIGHT #USAF B2 Spirits pic.twitter.com/KmRmUr06e5
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— Globe Sentinel (@GlobeSentinels) December 13, 2023
Anyway, our friend @Saint1Mil managed to shot an interesting footage of DEATH 31 landing at dusk at 15.56Z.
Interestingly, the airframe in question (s/n 82-1066) is the one coded AV-1. This was the first B-2 to fly from Palmdale to Edwards AFB on Jul. 17, 1989. Initially called “Fatal Beauty”, it was then upgraded as Block30 and renamed Spirit of America. “This is the first time it has landed in the UK,” @Saint1Mil told us.
