B-2 Bomber Fired Anti-Ship Missile at Decommissioned Dock

The U.S. Air Force utilized a B-2 Spirit to strike the former USS Juneau during Exercise Valiant Shield in June 2026.

Updated on Oct. 9, 2026 in Military

B-2 Bomber Fired Anti-Ship Missile at Decommissioned Dock

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On June 27, 2026, a U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit bomber launched an AGM-158C LRASM against the decommissioned USS Juneau in the Philippine Sea. The strike was part of Exercise Valiant Shield, a joint training maneuver.

Why it matters

The demonstration highlighted the U.S. military capability to threaten adversarial naval fleets from standoff ranges using heavy bombers. This exercise sharpened joint targeting skills against maritime threats by integrating advanced missile technology.

The AGM-158C LRASM carries a 1,000-pound penetrating blast-fragmentation warhead with a range exceeding 200 nautical miles. The B-2 Spirit bomber, which carried the missile internally, features an unrefueled range of approximately 6,000 miles.

The players

U.S. Air Force

This is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces.

B-2 Spirit

This is a heavy strategic stealth bomber capable of delivering conventional and nuclear weapons.

USS Juneau

This was an Austin-class amphibious transport dock ship that served for nearly four decades.

The details

The B-2 Spirit successfully launched the LRASM from its internal bomb bay during a training mission in the Philippine Sea. After being struck by the LRASM, the former Austin-class amphibious transport dock was further engaged by AGM-84 Harpoons, a torpedo, and a Hellfire missile until it ultimately sank.

The USS Juneau was commissioned into the U.S. Navy in 1969.
The Navy decommissioned the USS Juneau in 2008.
The B-2 bomber loaded the LRASM at Whiteman Air Force Base on June 22, 2026.
The B-2 bomber launched the LRASM during Exercise Valiant Shield on June 27, 2026.

Roadmap

The integration of standoff anti-ship munitions into stealth bomber platforms marks a shift in maritime projection capabilities for the U.S. Air Force. This trajectory anticipates the role of the B-21 Raider, which is slated to carry the LRASM internally once it becomes operational.

This demonstration showcases the evolution of long-range strike capabilities, which may influence future defense budget allocations for standoff weapons. While these maneuvers do not directly alter consumer costs, they define the strategic deterrence posture maintained by the federal government.

The takeaway

The successful strike proves that heavy bombers can effectively neutralize naval targets without entering immediate threat zones. Future maritime defense strategies will likely rely on these standoff capabilities to project power across contested global waters.