B-2 Bomber

With a price tag of $45.3 billion for 20 aircraft and related expenses, such as initial spares and facility construction, the B-2 bomber is one of the Pentagon's most expensive programs. GAO concluded in an earlier report (GAO/PEMD-92-36R, Sept. 1992) that the final five B-2 bombers could not be justified on the basis of strategic nuclear missions. This report evaluates the operational and support plans for the B-2. GAO specifically examines differences in the B-2's conventional operational capabilities, military construction funding, and operations and maintenance costs for purchasing 20 rather than 15 aircraft.

GAO found that: (1) the B-2 force's size will limit its conventional missions primarily to precision strikes at high-priority targets; (2) a small B-2 force could meet or exceed the operational capabilities of the larger, diversified force used in Operation Desert Storm; (3) the additional 5 aircraft will increase the B-2 operational capacity by 45 percent; (4) the B-2 force will be fully capable in 1998, but improvements in precision weapons and radar detection avoidance systems must be made before it can achieve full capabilities; (5) $42 million in military construction costs and $100 million in spare parts costs is still needed for additional aircraft; (6) manufacturing costs would be reduced by $1.1 billion and some logistics support cost would be less if the number of aircraft procured is reduced to 15; and (7) operation and maintenance costs would be $61.9 million more a year for 20 aircraft and total $1.55 billion over the 25-year life of the bombers.