Editing Northrop B-2 Spirit (section)

===Armaments and equipment===
[[File:B-2 bomb bay 050411-F-1740G-005.jpg|thumb|right|A {{convert|2000|lb|kg|abbr=on}} BDU-56 bomb being loaded onto a bomb bay's rotary launcher, 2004]]

In the envisaged Cold War scenario, the B-2 was to perform deep-penetrating nuclear strike missions, making use of its stealthy capabilities to avoid detection and interception throughout the missions.<ref name="tucker 39">{{harvnb|Tucker|2010|p=39}}</ref> There are two internal bomb bays in which munitions are stored either on a rotary launcher or two bomb-racks; the carriage of the weapons loadouts internally results in less radar visibility than external mounting of munitions.<ref>{{harvnb|Moir|Seabridge|2008|p=398}}</ref><ref name="tucker 177" /> The B-2 is capable of carrying {{convert|40000|lb|kg|abbr=on}} of ordnance.<ref name=B-2_AF_fact_sheet/> Nuclear ordnance includes the [[B61 nuclear bomb|B61]] and [[B83 nuclear bomb]]s; the [[AGM-129 ACM]] cruise missile was also intended for use on the B-2 platform.<ref name="tucker 177" /><ref>{{harvnb|Richardson|2001|pp=120–121}}</ref>

In light of the dissolution of the Soviet Union, it was decided to equip the B-2 for conventional precision attacks as well as for the strategic role of nuclear-strike.<ref name="tucker 39" /><ref>{{harvnb|Rip|Hasik|2002|p=201}}</ref> The B-2 features a sophisticated GPS-Aided Targeting System (GATS) that uses the aircraft's [[APQ-181 radar|APQ-181]] [[synthetic aperture radar]] to map out targets prior to the deployment of [[Global Positioning System|GPS]]-aided bombs ([[GBU-37|GAMs]]), later superseded by the [[Joint Direct Attack Munition]] (JDAM). In the B-2's original configuration, up to 16 GAMs or JDAMs could be deployed;<ref>{{harvnb|Rip|Hasik|2002|pp=242–246}}</ref> An upgrade program in 2004 raised the maximum carrier capacity to 80 JDAMs.<ref name=POGO />

The B-2 has various conventional weapons in its arsenal, including [[Mark 82 bomb|Mark 82]] and [[Mark 84 bomb]]s, [[CBU-87 Combined Effects Munition]]s, [[GATOR mine system|GATOR mine]]s, and the [[CBU-97 Sensor Fuzed Weapon]].<ref>{{harvnb|Evans|2004|p=13}}</ref> In July 2009, Northrop Grumman reported the B-2 was compatible with the equipment necessary to deploy the {{convert|30000|lb|kg|abbr=on|adj=on}} [[Massive Ordnance Penetrator]] (MOP), which is intended to attack reinforced [[bunker]]s; up to two MOPs could be equipped in the B-2's bomb bays with one per bay,<ref>Mayer, Daryl. [http://www.defpro.com/news/details/8738/ "Northrop Grumman and USAF Verify Proper Fit of 30,000 lb Penetrator Weapon on B-2 Bomber."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090821060646/http://www.defpro.com/news/details/8738/ |date=21 August 2009}} defpro.com, 22 July 2009. Retrieved 13 September 2009.</ref> the B-2 is the only platform compatible with the MOP as of 2012.<ref name="kelley insider" /> As of 2011, the [[AGM-158 JASSM]] [[cruise missile]] is an upcoming standoff munition to be deployed on the B-2 and other platforms.<ref>[http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/AGM-158-JASSM-Cruise-Missiles-FY-2011-Orders-06895/ "AGM-158 JASSM Cruise Missiles: FY 2011 Orders."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120602080654/http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/AGM-158-JASSM-Cruise-Missiles-FY-2011-Orders-06895/ |date=2 June 2012}} ''Defense Industry Daily'', 14 May 2011.</ref> This is to be followed by the [[Long Range Standoff Weapon]], which may give the B-2 standoff nuclear capability for the first time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.fas.org/security/2013/04/b-2bomber/ |title=B-2 Stealth Bomber To Carry New Nuclear Cruise Missile |last1=Kristensen |first1=Hans M. |date=22 April 2013 |work=FAS Strategic Security Blog |publisher=Federation of American Scientists |access-date=22 April 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140422075113/http://blogs.fas.org/security/2013/04/b-2bomber/ |archive-date=22 April 2014}}</ref>