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The cost of a B-61 nuclear gravity bomb is only $28 million (2012). There are approximately 400, of which 100 were moved to Europe in 2022. They can only be lau
by Hilift 1y ago
The cost of a B-61 nuclear gravity bomb is only $28 million (2012). There are approximately 400, of which 100 were moved to Europe in 2022. They can only be launched by an F-18 or F-35 with a special armament control package (not included in the $28 million).
$28 million gets you spin rocket motors that improve accuracy to within 10 meters, and internal and celestial guidance. The yield is variable ("dial-a-yield") (10-340kt) to allow selecting the amount of tritium for the explosion.
The cost for an F-22 is $191 million (2023). A B-2 is $2 billion.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B61_nuclear_bomb https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B61_nuclear_bomb
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_F-22_Raptor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_F-22_Raptor
- deleted 1y ago[deleted]
- LightBug1 1y ago$2 billion !!!!?!!!!
- bitmasher9 1y agoAnd we bought 21 of them. So $42 billion for the airplanes. This figure does not include operational costs such as training, fuel, maintenance, etc.
- dh2022 1y agoMaintenance includes repainting the plane with a special radar absorbing paints every 7 years. The repaint job takes one (1!!!) year - https://www.cleveland.com/nation/2010/06/b-2_stealth_bombers_require_60.html https://www.cleveland.com/nation/2010/06/b-2_stealth_bombers...
- KyleBerezin 1y agoThe joke is "B-2 isn't the name, it's the pricetag"
- lazide 1y agoAnd we somehow managed to crash two of them - on takeoff. Like literally, while taking off. No deaths, thankfully, except for the pilots souls. In the first case because of - wait for it - rain. [https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Andersen_Air_Force_Base_B-2_accident https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Andersen_Air_Force_Base...] That is one expensive photo!