U.S. Air Force allowed to use A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft after B-2 Spirit crash - nuclear bombers and MQ-9 Reaper drones still unavailable

Whiteman Air Force Base is slowly beginning to come back to life. The service has unlocked the only runway that was closed after a fire on a B-2 Spirit aircraft.

Here's What We Know

The strategic bomber caught fire Dec. 10. It had been sitting on the runway for more than a week. Representatives from Whiteman Base only confirmed the accident and noted that no one was injured in the incident and there were no weapons on the plane.

The B-2 Spirit was removed from the runway. On Dec. 21, the Whiteman Base website issued a press release announcing the resumption of operations of the T-38 Talon training aircraft and the A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft.

The B-2 Spirit fleet, which now consists of 18 working bombers (another was taken out of service a year ago), will only be able to take to the skies after receiving approval from the U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command. Also at the base are the MQ-9 Reaper drones. Apparently they, too, are temporarily unavailable.

Source: Whiteman Air Force Base