Air Force Confirms B-2 Stealth Bomber Can Deploy Long-Range Anti-Ship Missiles
The B-2 + LRASM pairing closes a gap in the U.S. anti-ship architecture: until now, only the Navy's P-8A Poseidon and surface combatants could deliver LRASM at range, both vulnerable to modern air defense. Adding the B-2 forces the PLA to defend against a third, stealthy vector — and one that operates from Guam or Andersen, outside immediate air defense range.
This compounds the challenge already posed by the MLR's Tomahawk and Harpoon deployments. If the Air Force operationalizes this at scale (even 8-12 B-2s on continuous rotation), it raises the cost of any PLA attempt to suppress U.S. air operations during a Taiwan contingency.
This disclosure resets the calculus for distributed maritime denial in the Indo-Pacific.
The B-2's stealth profile and 6,000+ nautical mile unrefueled range means LRASM can strike defended surface targets from standoff distances that deny air defense systems time to react or relocate — a capability that directly complicates Chinese carrier task force operations in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea.
The timing follows the 12th Marine Littoral Regiment's forward anti-ship missile deployment to Okinawa (June 28), signaling a deliberate U.S. shift toward layered, long-range surface denial across multiple platforms. Watch the FY27 NDAA markup for any line-item funding tied to B-2 LRASM integration or increased sortie rate requirements.
Does this capability already exist operationally, or is the Air Force announcing it for the first time now? The phrasing 'discloses' suggests a previously undisclosed capability — but when did integration testing complete, and how many B-2s are currently LRASM-qualified?
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