The US Air Force drew global attention late last month by making a rare disclosure that a B-2 "Spirit" stealth strategic bomber had launched a Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) and completed its mission during a live-fire ship-sinking exercise in the Western Pacific.
In a press release, the Pacific Air Forces command said it "successfully conducted a live-fire sinking exercise using the B-2 Spirit in waters north of the Mariana Islands," adding that "the B-2 demonstrated enhanced capability to achieve strategic objectives within potential threat ranges by operating the LRASM."
Kevin Schneider, commander of the Pacific Air Forces, stressed that "the B-2's impressive performance demonstrates the US military's commitment to maintaining adaptability and flexibility in the face of security challenges," and that "by prioritizing maritime strike operations, we can maintain a decisive advantage over adversaries."
The missile launched by the B-2 bomber was the stealth long-range anti-ship missile (LRASM) "AGM-158C." The Pacific Air Forces also released photos on its website and social media showing the B-2 strategic bomber taking off loaded with the AGM-158C and releasing it in the air.
The AGM-158C, developed by the United States, is designed to detect and destroy enemy ships from long distances, and is regarded as one of the "China warship killer" weapons. The Pacific Air Forces explained that the LRASM is a key component of the US military's maritime operations, providing a decisive advantage against adversaries.
The AGM-158C stealth long-range anti-ship missile launched by the B-2 had until now been fired only from the B-1B bomber and the US Navy's F/A-18E/F fighter jets. Unlike the B-2 stealth strategic bomber, those two aircraft have limited stealth capabilities.
According to the US military specialty outlet The War Zone (TWZ), this missile launch exercise took place on the 27th as part of the combined military exercise "Valiant Shield." Various weapons were unleashed on the decommissioned USS Juneau to sink the ship. During the process, the B-2 fired the AGM-158C missile, while a submarine of Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force launched a torpedo.
The outlet analyzed that this B-2 anti-ship missile launch exercise is drawing attention because it targets China. In other words, in the event of a future Chinese invasion of Taiwan or a conflict in the Pacific, the AGM-158C would be the weapon to deliver a fatal blow that could sink the Chinese Navy's aircraft carriers and warships.
The AGM-158C is a next-generation precision-guided stealth anti-ship missile jointly developed by the US Air Force and Navy to counter the naval buildup of hostile nations, with a maximum range known to be 370 to 560 kilometers.
Above all, the mounting of the AGM-158C on the B-2 is noteworthy. This means that as China's naval power rapidly expanded in the 2020s, the US military changed its strategy so that the radar-evading B-2 penetrates directly carrying anti-ship missiles in order to break through warships' air defense networks.
The B-2 is also called the "black stingray" because of its distinctive W-shape. At 20 meters long, 52 meters wide, and weighing 71 tons, it is far larger than a fighter jet. But thanks to its stealth performance, it is almost undetectable by radar. It can carry up to two "GBU-57" super-massive bunker busters.
In July 2014, during the "2024 Rim of the Pacific Exercise" (RIMPAC) conducted in the Hawaii area, the US military carried out a live-fire exercise of long-range anti-ship cruise missiles using F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jets. With this latest launch, the US has publicly demonstrated that it has secured the capability to launch stealth long-range anti-ship missiles capable of precisely striking enemy ships from far greater distances.
