Jul 18, 2024

B-2 Spirit: Evolving with Agility

The B-2 Spirit introduced a new era of stealth technology and strategic deterrence 35 years ago when it completed its maiden flight on July 17, 1989.

More than three decades later, in partnership with the U.S. Air Force, Northrop Grumman continues to integrate groundbreaking technology into the B-2 that equip it for tomorrow’s fight, today. The B-2 program recently achieved a major milestone by providing the bomber with its first fieldable, agile integrated functional capability called Spirit Realm 1 (SR 1). SR 1 provides mission critical capability upgrades to the communications and weapons systems via an open mission systems architecture, directly enhancing combat capability and allowing the fleet to initiate a new phase of agile software releases.

“We are rapidly fielding capabilities with zero software defects through the software factory development ecosystem and further enhancing the B-2 fleet’s mission effectiveness,” said Jerry McBrearty, director and B-2 acting program manager, Northrop Grumman. “The agile framework methodology within SR 1 directly supports the Air Force’s initiative to adapt new capabilities in the aircraft, executing the mission today.”

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SR 1 features new displays and flight hardware and updates enhancing the B-2’s survivability. SR 1 was fully developed inside the B-2 Spirit Realm software factory that was established through a partnership with Air Force Global Strike Command and the B-2 Systems Program Office. The successful integration of the Spirit Realm software factory led the B-2 to become the first legacy nuclear platform to utilize the Department of Defense’s DevSecOps processes and digital toolsets.
B-2 Spirit - Evolving with Agility
A B-2 Spirit conducts low-level flight testing at Edwards Air Force Base. (Photo Credit: Northrop Grumman)
“Our implementation of software factory is opening new doors for the B-2 to carry future weapons and advanced capabilities that will further strengthen our country’s strategic deterrence,” said Colonel Frank Marino, senior materiel leader, B-2 systems program manager, U.S. Air Force.
Spirit Realm leverages integrated digital tools to design, manage, build and test B-2 software more efficiently than ever before. The tools can also link with other legacy systems to enable more rapid testing and fielding and help identify and fix potential risks earlier in the software development process. The program successfully demonstrated its agile software development capabilities in both flight and lab software by rapidly deploying a software update to the integrated test facility where the software could be verified and ultimately loaded onto the aircraft.
As the battlespace evolves, Northrop Grumman continues to outpace the threat by delivering new capabilities in partnership with the U.S. Air Force.

Northrop Grumman Corporation
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