Ball Aerospace Unilaterally Declassifies B-2 Spirit IR Suppression System

The IR signature of the B-2 is widely regarded as its least stealthy characteristic and over the years, the plane has been upgraded to suppress, as much as possible, the heat of its engines’ exhaust. Although there is no possible way that it could have been sanctioned by the government, critical information concerning the IR suppression capabilities of the B-2 platform has been leaked from an unlikely source: An American Aerospace company with close ties to the government.

Armed with the information released in Ball’s own promotional materials, I have extrapolated some facts about the likely mechanism of operation of the B-2’s IR suppression systems. This is exactly the reason why it is important for people with access to sensitive information to get clearance before publishing information that so much as obliquely refers to classified information. Any leak at all can be used to connect dots in ways that may not be immediately obvious.