B-2 Bomber Undergoes Major Maintenance Overhaul in Record Time > Eglin Air Force Base > Article Ad

PALMDALE, Calif., –– In a major achievement for U.S. Air Force readiness, the Spirit of Nebraska, a B-2 bomber, returned to action 91 days ahead of schedule after completing programmed depot maintenance (PDM) here on Oct. 15, 2024. had completed.

Previously, B-2s took approximately 470 days to complete the PDM. However, due to several changes made by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Bombers Directorate to improve efficiency, the Spirit of Nebraska was able to complete the PDM in just 379 days.

“Integrating these jets into PDM, getting the job done quickly and getting them back to the fighter early is a big deal,” said Col. Francis Marino, B-2 systems program manager in the Bombers Directorate. “This success would not have been possible without the great partnership between our team, Air Force Global Strike Command and Northrop Grumman.”

PDM occurs every nine years and is a comprehensive inspection, overhaul and repair of the bomber, with much of the work focused on restoring the bomber’s Low Observable (LO) or stealth materials.

“PDM’s primary goal is to perform the LO restoration of the aircraft,” said Staci Gravette, B-2 PDM program manager. “Because the plane is dismantled [for LO restoration] We are also able to carry out other maintenance work.”

One way the Air Force was able to reduce PDM time for the aircraft was to perform fuel system inspection earlier in the PDM cycle.

In the past, when a fuel leak was discovered during an inspection, the team would have to remove parts and materials from the aircraft, repair the leak, and redo previous work, often resulting in a 45-day delay. By moving fuel system inspection higher in the PDM cycle, duplication and delays were avoided.

Additionally, the team was able to reduce time by conducting preliminary inspections of the aircraft before it arrived at PDM. This allowed them to identify problems in advance, order parts, and work specific repairs into the schedule.

“As each aircraft ages, there will be more and more problems that need to be repaired on a PDM line,” Marino said. “Pre-inspection is great because it reduces the number of surprises in PDM.”

Maintaining the B-2’s dominance is a priority for the Bomber Directorate. Improving the PDM process and other sustainment and modernization efforts that the directorate leads will ensure that the aircraft continues to perform.

“Nothing else even comes close,” said Shawn Clay, B-2 product support manager, citing the B-2’s capabilities. “Considering this is technology from the 1980s [on the aircraft] which is still a world leader today, it simply speaks volumes about the amazing aircraft weapons system that it is. Add to that the actual mission – keeping our enemies at bay and giving them a moment of pause… like the thought of a B-2 flying in and before you even know it’s there, the fight is over. “


“Until the B-21 is in service, the B-2 is the only capable long-range attack bomber in the world and the only aircraft that can do what we need it to do today,” Marino added. “As long as the aircraft remains operational and our adversaries continue to come forward with new and advanced weapons across the electromagnetic spectrum, we must continue to invest in the lethality, survivability and, of course, operational readiness of the B-2. The work we are doing on the PDM line will play a key role in this.”