Let's be clear from the start: this is not a story in the traditional sense. USAF Fact Sheet 95-03 is exactly what the title says—a fact sheet. Published by the United States Air Force in 1995, it's a concise, unclassified document designed to inform the public about one of its most secretive and awe-inspiring assets: the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber.

The Story

There's no plot, but there is a narrative of capability. The 'story' it tells is of a machine engineered for a single, profound purpose: to reach any point on the globe, undetected, and deliver a decisive response. It walks you through the bomber's revolutionary flying wing design, which gives it both its ghostly radar signature and its distinctive shape. It details its range (a single, un-refueled mission can span continents), its payload (both conventional and nuclear weapons), and its small, two-person crew. It explains the advanced materials and coatings that make it 'stealthy.' The prose is technical and straightforward, listing facts and figures without a hint of drama. Yet, the sheer ambition of what it describes—a plane built to be invisible—creates its own kind of tension.

Why You Should Read It

You should read it because it's a pure, unfiltered look at peak military technology from the source itself. There's no author's bias, no fictional flair—just the specs. In an age of flashy documentaries and speculative articles, there's something refreshing about the plain language of an official document. It treats this incredible machine as a matter of fact. Reading it, you get a sense of the scale of human ingenuity and resources dedicated to this project. It’s also a fascinating historical snapshot, capturing the state of aerospace technology just a few years after the B-2 was first revealed to the world. It makes you appreciate the engineering reality behind the sci-fi silhouette.

Final Verdict

This is not for everyone. If you need characters and emotional arcs, look elsewhere. But if you're fascinated by aviation, modern military history, or groundbreaking engineering, this is a essential, quick read. It's perfect for the curious reader who enjoys primary sources, the model kit builder wanting accurate details, or the aspiring writer looking for real-world tech inspiration. Think of it as the most authoritative pamphlet you'll ever read—a bare-bones briefing on a machine that changed the game.