China’s naval expansion has reshaped the global balance of power, but the United States is responding with major advances of its own. In this video, we examine how the B-2 Spirit’s integration with the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) could transform it into a powerful maritime strike platform capable of engaging targets from hundreds of miles away. Explore the technology, strategy, and implications behind this major shift in U.S.-China military competition. Subscribe for more in-depth defense analysis.
⏱️ CHAPTERS:
00:00 - China builds largest navy on Earth
00:46 - Why B-2 Spirit bomber lacked anti-ship weapons
02:56 - B-2 bomber tests 500 pound Quicksink weapon
06:03 - AGM-158C LRASM anti-ship missile range capabilities
08:36 - B-2 bomber sinks USS Juneau in exercise
11:02 - Can US missiles destroy China 370 warships?
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#militarystrategy #militarydevelopments #militaryanalysis
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SOURCES / ATTRIBUTIONS: https://pastebin.com/9L3civGi
⏱️ CHAPTERS:
00:00 - China builds largest navy on Earth
00:46 - Why B-2 Spirit bomber lacked anti-ship weapons
02:56 - B-2 bomber tests 500 pound Quicksink weapon
06:03 - AGM-158C LRASM anti-ship missile range capabilities
08:36 - B-2 bomber sinks USS Juneau in exercise
11:02 - Can US missiles destroy China 370 warships?
Support us directly as we bring you independent, up-to-date reporting on military news and global conflicts by clicking here: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMilitaryShow/join
#militarystrategy #militarydevelopments #militaryanalysis
#themilitaryshow
SOURCES / ATTRIBUTIONS: https://pastebin.com/9L3civGi
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NewsTranscript
00:00China's military expansion plans continue to progress at a remarkable rate, with Beijing
00:05desperate to close the gap between itself and the United States, ahead of a possible
00:08conflict between the two superpowers.
00:11It's built both the largest navy and the largest army on Earth, and regularly shows
00:16off its latest and greatest innovations, from AI-integrated swarm drones to hypersonic
00:21missiles.
00:21But as Beijing scrambles to catch up, the US isn't simply standing still, it's making
00:27some major improvements of its own to maintain its status as the world's mightiest military
00:31power.
00:32One of those improvements represents a massive problem for China's record-setting navy, as
00:37the US just transformed the B-2 spirit into an invisible fleet destroyer, with the power
00:42to cut Beijing's naval force down to size from literally hundreds of miles away.
00:47As arguably the most iconic bomber ever created, the B-2 requires little introduction.
00:52Its distinctive flying wing silhouette is instantly recognizable around the globe, and its extraordinary
00:58stealth capabilities have made it one of the most fearsome and effective aircraft of all
01:02time.
01:03Capable of penetrating enemy airspace without being seen, this aircraft has proven its worth
01:08on countless occasions, having played a leading role in numerous conflicts since entering service
01:13in 1997.
01:14It was used in the Kosovo war in 1999, for example, as well as the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya
01:22and Yemen, and more recently in Iran.
01:24For much of its time in service, however, the B-2 has generally been used to strike land-based
01:29targets like Serbian military infrastructure in Kosovo, Taliban strongholds in Afghanistan,
01:35and underground nuclear facilities in Iran.
01:37It has proven remarkably effective when it comes to destroying the likes of bunkers, bases,
01:42and air defenses.
01:44Yet, it was never regarded as a serious anti-ship asset.
01:48Even though it had the potential to wipe out warships and other naval assets, thanks to
01:52its vast payload capacity, impressive range, and stealth capabilities, there was always one
01:57big issue holding the B-2 back, a lack of maritime munitions.
02:00If the US wanted to bomb a warship with a B-2 in years gone by, it would have had
02:05to rely
02:05on gravity-driven smart bombs like the GBU-31 JDAM.
02:10And if a B-2 wanted to hit a moving warship with a JDAM, it would have had to fly
02:14almost
02:14directly over its target before dropping its payload.
02:18Even though the B-2 has such advanced stealth features, flying so close to enemy vessels
02:22could still be an incredibly risky maneuver, potentially exposing the bomber to an array of
02:27radars and integrated air defense systems.
02:29What's more, even though they're incredibly accurate against fixed targets, JDAMs lack
02:35the necessary components like infrared seeker heads and active radar systems to actively
02:40track and home in on enemy vessels at sea.
02:43Because of these limitations, the B-2 was largely relegated to a backseat role when it
02:47came to counter-maritime missions, with the likes of the B-1B Lancer being used instead.
02:53In 2025, however, the US military flipped the script.
02:57A test took place sometime in late April near Eglin Air Force Base in northwest Florida,
03:02in which a B-2 bomber dropped a 500-pound quicksink maritime weapon.
03:07Quicksink is a modified JDAM designed specifically to deal with naval targets.
03:11The way it works is remarkably effective.
03:13First, a target is identified, typically with the aid of maritime patrol and reconnaissance
03:19aircraft, at the P-8 Poseidon, which then relays the target's coordinates to the strike
03:24aircraft like a B-2 bomber.
03:26The bomber then closes distance on its target and drops its payload from above.
03:30Just like a standard JDAM, the quicksink then relies on its built-in GPS and inertial navigation
03:35systems to travel towards the target's last known location.
03:39Once it enters range, the bomb's weapon-open systems architecture, WOSA, Imaging Infrared
03:45Seeker, kicks in to help it home in on its target.
03:48It scans the surrounding area, looking for a ship with the same dimensions and thermal
03:52signature as the one it's aiming for, then provides real-time course corrections to track
03:57the vessel as it moves.
03:59But the quicksink doesn't simply collide with the side of its target or strike it from above.
04:03Instead, it actually dives down into the water beside the ship, using a delayed-action fuse
04:08to detonate right beside the hull.
04:11The resulting blast generates a large shockwave, which is typically strong enough to lift the
04:15ship's hull out of the water and blow a hole in its base.
04:18In effect, it breaks the ship's back, which generally leads to its sinking in a matter of
04:23seconds, hence the quicksink name.
04:25This was huge news at the time, with General David Alvin, the U.S. Air Force's Chief of
04:30Staff, writing on X,
04:31We unleashed a new quicksink weapon, which significantly enhances our ability to strike
04:36stationary or moving surface vessels.
04:39This is a true game-changer for the Department of Defense, and is exactly what President Donald
04:44Trump means by peace through strength.
04:46It clearly solved the pre-existing problem of the B-2 being unable to reliably strike moving
04:51targets at sea, and it was a significant upgrade to the bomber's capabilities.
04:55Even at the time, however, some expert observers questioned how effective the quicksink could
05:00be against the Chinese Navy, given its vast size and advanced air defense capabilities.
05:05Tom Sugart, for example, a former U.S. Navy Submarine Warfare Officer and Senior Fellow
05:10at the Center for a New American Society, wrote online that he would be pretty surprised if
05:14the U.S. military would risk flying a B-2 bomber close enough to Chinese warships to drop
05:19a bomb of this kind, adding,
05:21Are we a thousand percent sure that their air defense systems aren't going to get a sniff?
05:25That same question was echoed by many other military experts, who were generally thrilled
05:31to see the B-2 expand its arsenal, but also concerned that it might not provide much value
05:35in a hypothetical conflict with China.
05:38Given that each B-2 is valued at approximately $2 billion, and there are only 19 of these bombers
05:43in service today, it stands to reason that the Air Force would be reluctant to put such
05:47a rare and valuable asset into an unnecessarily risky situation when other more sensible alternatives
05:53still existed.
05:54In short, the addition of the quicksink was undoubtedly a step in the right direction,
05:58but perhaps not quite a large enough step to make a real difference.
06:02Fortunately, the U.S. wasn't done there.
06:05Behind the scenes, the military was working on another arsenal addition to the B-2 Spirit,
06:09one that would elevate its capacities to far greater heights.
06:13One that would take this already legendary aircraft to an even greater level of operational excellence,
06:18and transform it into the perfect counter for China's rapidly expanding naval force.
06:23The AGM-158C long-range anti-ship missile, LERASM, an air-launch anti-ship cruise missile
06:31that was developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, DARPA, in 2010, and entered
06:37service in 2018 with the U.S. Air Force and Navy.
06:40Measuring up at an estimated 14 feet or 4.26 meters in length, with a wingspan of 8 feet
06:4710 inches or 2.7 meters and a weight of 2,760 pounds or 1,250 kilograms, the LERASM is
06:55one
06:55of the most advanced anti-ship munitions in existence today.
06:59It's powered by a Williams F-107 WR-105 turbofan engine, which allows it to reach high subsonic
07:06speeds of around Mach 0.9, 690 miles per hour or 1,111 kilometers per hour, and it boasts
07:13an operational range of up to 500 nautical miles or 926 kilometers.
07:18With GPS and inertial navigation systems, combined with infrared and electro-optical sensors, plus
07:25AI guidance technology, the LERASM is extraordinarily precise, capable of striking within less than
07:3110 feet or 3 meters of its target every time.
07:34And since it's fitted with a whopping 1,000-pound, 453-kilogram WDU-42B He Blast Fragmentation
07:43Warhead, it packs more than enough firepower to eliminate even the largest modern warships,
07:48including cruisers and destroyers.
07:49On top of all this, the LERASM also incorporates the kind of stealth technology seen on aircraft
07:55like the B-2 itself.
07:56It boasts a low-observable airframe with a minimized radar cross-section to help it evade detection
08:02as it travels through hostile airspace and also uses passive electronic support measures
08:06and radio frequency sensors to help it home in on its targets without emitting easily detectable
08:12signals on its approach.
08:14All of these features make the LERASM one of the biggest threats to even the strongest
08:18naval fleets on the planet, but for the first several years of its existence, it could only
08:22be launched by a small selection of platforms, including the B-1 Lancer, the F-18EF Super
08:28Hornet and the F-35 Lightning II.
08:31In June 2026, the B-2 Spirit officially joined the list.
08:35But before we get into how that happened and what it means, the military show brings you
08:39the full picture, not just the headlines.
08:42Hit subscribe to stay ahead of the curve.
08:44On June 29, 2026, the United States Air Force Global Strike Command published an astonishing
08:51report, revealing that the Pacific Air Forces had conducted a live-fire sinking exercise
08:56using the B-2 Spirit and a long-range anti-ship missile.
09:00The exercise took place just north of the Mariana Islands, not far from the U.S. island territory
09:05of Guam, one of America's most crucial strategic hubs in the Western Pacific.
09:09It was part of the Valiant Shield 26 exercise, the latest edition of the Valiant Shield War Games,
09:15which are among the largest U.S. military exercises to take place in the Pacific Ocean and have been
09:20running since 2006.
09:22According to detailed reports of the event, the exercise involved the B-2 firing a single
09:27lorasm at the USS Juno, an Austin-class amphibious transport dock that was laid down in 1965 and
09:34launched a year later in 1966.
09:37Nicknamed the Mighty J, the Juno completed numerous deployments during the Vietnam War and
09:42was also involved in both Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm during the Iraq War.
09:47After decades of service, this amphibious transport dock was officially decommissioned in 2008 and
09:53in 2026 it was selected as a target ship to be sunk in Valiant Shield.
09:58It was struck by a Harpoon missile, fired by a Navy P-8A Poseidon as well as a torpedo launch
10:04from a Japanese submarine in addition to the B-2's lorasm and sank to the briny depths of the
10:09Pacific, never to be seen again.
10:11This was a huge leap forward for the B-2 and it's incredibly encouraging from a US perspective
10:17to see that this test was successful.
10:20It proves not only that the B-2 can be equipped with lorasm, but it can be trusted to use
10:24them
10:25effectively to disable and destroy naval targets, and that's so vital when it comes to helping
10:30the US prepare for a possible confrontation with China.
10:33As General Kevin B. Schneider, commander of the Pacific Air Force, notes, the B-2's impressive
10:39performance underscores the US military's commitment to adaptability and flexibility
10:43in the face of emerging security challenges.
10:46By prioritizing counter-maritime strike operations, we can maintain a decisive edge over adversaries,
10:52protect our national interests, and ensure the free and open Pacific that underpins our
10:56global security.
10:58This is a far bigger upgrade than the quicksync for several key reasons.
11:02Arguably the most important of them all is range.
11:05The issue with quicksync and other bombs is that they have to be dropped from relatively
11:08close distances to the target.
11:11Even with a stealthy aircraft like the B-2, the closer you get to the enemy, the greater
11:15the risk becomes of them being able to detect you and fire at you.
11:19The lorasm removes that risk entirely.
11:21Since it has a massive operational range of up to 500 nautical miles, it can be launched from
11:26safe standoff distances.
11:29Theoretically, for example, the US Air Force could deploy its B-2 bomber fleet to reasonably
11:33safe locations hundreds of miles off the coast of China, above the likes of the South China
11:38Sea, East China Sea, or even the Philippine Sea, and fire lorasm directly at any of the
11:43People's Liberation Navy's three-fleet command headquarters, which are situated in Qingdao to
11:49the north, Ningbo in the east, and Jiangjiang to the south.
11:52Since the B-2 is virtually invisible in the air, China's radars and defenses would have
11:57an immensely tough time spotting these aircraft as they make their approach.
12:01Then upon releasing their payloads, the B-2s could swiftly retreat, vanishing from view in
12:05the blink of an eye, and heading back to Guam or other American air bases in locations
12:10like Japan, South Korea, and the Indian Ocean territory of Diego Garcia.
12:14Of course, the issue of launching missiles from so far away is that it can give the enemy
12:18more time and opportunities to react, using their own radars and air defenses to detect
12:23and disable the munition before it reaches its target.
12:27Fortunately, the lorasm is well equipped to counteract that challenge as well.
12:31Its low observable stealth profile gives it a greater than average chance of bypassing
12:36even relatively dense anti-access and aerial denial networks, while its autonomous capabilities
12:42and passive sensor technology makes it harder to spot as it closes the distance on its targets.
12:47Often, these missiles don't emit any major detectable signals until the terminal phase
12:52of their flights, and by that point, it's usually already too late for the enemy to do anything
12:56about it.
12:57Beijing does boast some of the most advanced air defense systems in the world, though their
13:02reliability has been called into question in the past.
13:04So, they may still be able to spot and eliminate some of these missiles before they collide with
13:09PLA warships.
13:11However, experts estimate that the B-2 could carry up to 16 lorasm at a time, thanks to
13:17its vast internal weapons bays.
13:19That would enable a single bomber to threaten 16 separate warships at once.
13:23A single salvo could wipe out an entire PLA surface action group.
13:28Alternatively, multiple missiles could be fired at particularly high-value targets, like the
13:32type O-55 class destroyers, which are ranked among the very best in the world, boasting
13:37a staggering 112 vertical launch cells, or one of Beijing's growing collection of aircraft
13:42carriers.
13:44Again, even if some of those missiles were intercepted en route, there's an extremely
13:48high chance that others would manage to make it through, thanks to their advanced sensors
13:52and AI guidance systems that allow for mid-air course corrections and evasive maneuvers.
13:57When launched in groups, lorasm's are even able to effectively communicate with one
14:01another, sharing data via a secure data link in order to fine-tune their flight paths and
14:06avoid enemy defenses.
14:07They also follow sea-skimming flight profiles during the final stages of their approach,
14:12which makes them even more difficult to detect and eliminate.
14:15And thanks to their infrared imaging, they're also able to strike the most vulnerable parts
14:19of enemy vessels, meaning that every successful impact has the highest possible chance of causing
14:24a ship to sink. According to statistics from the US Department of Defense, China operates
14:29approximately 370 warships, and its fleet continues to expand with each passing year, with projections
14:35of around 435 ships by 2030. But if that fleet comes against American B-2 bombers loaded with full
14:42complements of long-range anti-ship missiles, its numbers could go down incredibly quickly. And the
14:48US is already taking steps to ensure it has more than enough of these missiles to threaten not just
14:53part of Beijing's fleet, but its entire navy. In April of 2026, news reports revealed that the navy
15:00was looking to spend close to a billion dollars on lorasm production. And this wasn't a one-off,
15:06it was part of a broader trend. The navy's FY2026 budget request included roughly a billion dollars to
15:12procure 200 lorasm, a sharp increase from the 91 missiles it procured in FY2024. To be more precise,
15:20the FY2027 budget request submitted to Congress included funding for 177 of these missiles at a
15:27cost of around $907 million. That's three consecutive years of buying some of the world's most capable
15:33anti-ship missiles in substantial quantities. That sends a message, loud and clear to Beijing and
15:39America's other enemies around the world. It doesn't matter how many warships you build, how big your
15:44navy's become, how much power you try to project across the ocean waves, the US military will always
15:49have the upper hand. It will always have the munitions it needs to send your vessels to the
15:54ocean floor, and there's nothing you can do to stop that. Even if you invest in bigger and better
15:58defenses, these missiles are smart enough to evade them. Even if you layer those defenses, the US has
16:04enough missiles to overwhelm them. Even if you try to target the launch platforms and prevent the
16:09missiles from being fired in the first place, the US can now launch them from one of the greatest
16:14stealth bombers ever made, which is almost impossible to detect even when it's in your own airspace.
16:19In short, the US military has thought of everything. It covered every base and countered
16:24every possibility. In combining a world-leading missile with a world-leading launch platform,
16:29it's created the ultimate fleet destroyer. And the most astonishing part is that it could still
16:34take this concept to even greater levels, as there's every possibility that the B-2's successor,
16:39the B-21 Raider, could also have the capability to fire the very same long-range anti-ship missiles
16:45too, giving the Air Force even more launch platforms with even greater stealth technologies.
16:50For years, fears had been rising about China's naval expansion and the fact that the US seemingly
16:56couldn't keep up with Beijing's remarkable rate of shipbuilding. In reality, America never needed
17:01to build dozens of ships to stay ahead of China, it just had to find better ways to destroy them.
17:06Now it has. Learn more about how the US is identifying and exploiting China's military weaknesses in this
17:13video, or check out this one to see how the US Navy turned a multi-billion dollar disaster into a
17:19world-leading super weapon. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to The Military Show for more
17:23insightful reporting, just like this.
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