Recently released photos show B-2 stealth bombers preparing to take off for a mission over Iran last week, with multiple unidentified white spots added along the leading edges of their wings.
US Central Command has released new photographs of the B-2A Spirit stealth bomber, one of the assets that, although flying constantly as part of Operation Epic Fury, has rarely been shown to the public since the start of hostilities with Iran. The bombers currently fly round-trip missions from the US, unlike the B-1B Lancer and B-52H Stratofortress bombers that have also been deployed to RAF Fairford in the UK.
According to the information of the DVD NetworkThe photographs were captured on March 17, 2026, although they were not published until a week later, on March 24. At first glance, the photographs do not seem out of the ordinary, as they show the bombers during pre-flight checks before leaving for an attack mission.
However, as reported by The war zonewho were the first to notice it, the photos show a disconcerting characteristic. In fact, multiple white spots can be seen at different points along the leading edge of the wings, both on the top and bottom.
The patches, which appear to all have the same dimension, are made up of a white rectangle with black edges. These can be seen on two different bombers, the Spirit of Mississippi and the Spirit of Louisiana, which could be identified by markings on the landing gear doors.
Installing these patches does not appear to be exactly the same. Specifically, at least nine pairs of these patches can be seen on the port wing of the Spirit of Louisiana, with at least 11 more on the starboard wing, while for the other bomber no estimate can be made, although they do not appear to be entirely symmetrical.
The function of these patches is unclear, which has led to several possible explanations discussed by users on social media.
What could they be?
At first glance, these patches immediately resemble the fiducial markings used on test aircraft. The function of these marks is to allow the identification of some aircraft parameters from known points on the airframe while analyzing photographs and videos.
However, these have some differences, since they are usually white circles superimposed on a black square and with a black dot in the middle. Fiducial markings would make sense on the B-2 used at Edwards Air Force Base, California, to test new capabilities being integrated.
On the other hand, these would be out of place on one aircraft used in combat, let alone two alone. The B-2 is covered by a special layer of radar absorbing material (RAM) to preserve its low observability, and any disturbance on the surface, such as these white spots, would degrade its stealth.
This brings us to the second possible explanation: radar reflectors. The B-2 Spirit does not use removable radar reflectors like those used by the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II.
The B-2’s low observability has always been a highly praised aspect of the bomber, and the US Air Force would be unlikely to give it up. This is especially true because the other non-stealth bombers (the B-1 and B-52) are also being used over Iran and would therefore be ready to replace the B-2 in missions where stealth is not required.
At the same time, as the Iranian electromagnetic battlespace becomes less dense after nearly a month of strikes, it would make sense if the United States wanted to mask the actual radar cross section (RCS) of the bomber. In fact, the presence of fewer electromagnetic emissions in the area would facilitate possible efforts to isolate and characterize the B-2 “signature.”
Another reason patches could appear on an aircraft could be repairs, which on the B-2 could be to address damage to the airframe or erosion of the skins. The coatings require constant care to avoid low observability degradation, especially if the bombers are used intensively in high-tempo operations.
However, in the event of a repair, it seems unlikely that two aircraft would have the same patches in the same positions. The likelihood of damage or erosion occurring in the same locations on two different airframes is minimal.
Alternatively, the patches may not be related to repairs but rather the installation of new kit, such as sensors or antenna arrays. As already mentioned, the B-2 Spirit is undertaking new upgrade efforts to keep the platform operational and relevant for the foreseeable future while the new B-21 Raider is in use.
Among the most recently announced upgrades are new communications capabilities to significantly improve data transfer time for real-time mission planning, low-observable materials to improve its radar cross-section signature, and upgrades to improve the B-2’s situational awareness in a highly contested environment. Another parallel upgrade effort is Spirit Realm 1 (SR1), which involves the integration of an open mission systems architecture, new software, sensors and weapons to further improve the B-2’s survivability and combat capability.
In particular, Spirit has recently flown with Adaptable Communications Suite (ACS) 4.0, the most recent version of the system already present on the B-2. Details about the system installation are classified and therefore it is not possible to verify whether the patches could be related to this update.
Furthermore, given ongoing combat efforts, it is unlikely that new equipment would have been installed in a short period of time and immediately employed in operational missions. This would not only mean taking possibly unnecessary risks, but would also prevent aircraft from being used on operational missions while the work is being done.
In fact, the B-2A Spirit fleet is notoriously small, with only 19 airframes in service. Of these, at any given time two are in extended Scheduled Depot Maintenance (PDM) at Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, further reducing the available fleet.
Another possibility being floated online is the addition of new markers to assist in-flight refueling operations. That possibility, however, seems unlikely, especially considering that during training, barrier operators are taught specific reference points for each aircraft they will refuel.
