B-1 bomber The B-1B bomber is a supersonic conventional bomber used by the United States Air Force since 1985. The aircraft is set to continue flying through 2040, with Boeing working with the Air Force to ensure mission readiness. Originally designed for nuclear capabilities, it switched to a conventional combat role in the mid-1990s. During Operation Allied Force and Operation Enduring Freedom, it dropped a significant amount of ordnance, and has since been deployed in combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
B-2 stealth bomber The B-2 Spirit, also known as the Stealth Bomber, is a low-observable strategic bomber designed to penetrate anti-aircraft defenses. Developed during the Cold War, it features a flying wing design and a crew of two, with the ability to deploy both conventional and thermonuclear weapons.
The B-2 is the only acknowledged aircraft that can carry large air-to-surface standoff weapons in a stealth configuration.
The project was controversial due to high costs and its intended use for attacking high-value targets in Soviet airspace. Though designed originally as primarily a nuclear bomber, it has since been used in combat with conventional ordnance. Currently, 20 B-2s are in service with the United States Air Force, set to operate until 2032 when they will be replaced by the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider.