Authored by Ryan Morgan via The Epoch Times,
The U.S. Air Force confirmed, for the first time, that a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber successfully launched an AGM-158C Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) against a target vessel during a naval exercise.
A U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber, assigned to the 509th Bomb Wing, deploys an AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile to support a live-fire sinking exercise as part of Valiant Shield 2026 over the Philippine Sea, June 27, 2026. U.S. Air Force/Tech Sgt. Thomas BarleyDesigned as a stealthy anti-ship cruise missile with semi-autonomous targeting capabilities, the LRASM reached early operational capability with U.S. combat aircraft in 2018. The pairing of this missile with the B-2, however, is a newly disclosed capability.
A B-2 demonstrated the LRASM launch capability during Valiant Shield 26, a multinational joint exercise that involved the sinking of the decommissioned amphibious transport dock ship USS Juneau on June 27. The sinking exercise took place in an area of the Philippine Sea north of the Marianas Islands.
"This is the first time we have publicly released the B-2's demonstrated ability to carry and deploy an AGM-138C LRASM," an Air Force spokesperson said in an emailed statement to The Epoch Times on June 30.
The pairing of the stealthy anti-ship missile and the stealth bomber could enhance their effectiveness against adversary forces, and is particularly relevant in a potential conflict in the Indo
