On February 24, 2026, the U.S. Air Force’s 509th Bomb Wing reported that a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber had joined Navy fighters from Carrier Air Wing Eleven for an integrated maritime strike exercise off the coast of California, demonstrating how U.S. strategic bombers and carrier aviation combine in a realistic blue-water scenario amid rising great-power competition and anti-access threats. Featuring the B-2’s low-observable profile alongside F-35C and F/A-18E Super Hornet aircraft equipped with long-range AIM-174B missiles, the sortie showcased a networked “kill web” capable of engaging targets hundreds of miles at sea. The event, disclosed through Whiteman Air Force Base’s official account on X, underscored the enduring importance of joint air-maritime integration for U.S. power projection and deterrence.
