The Air Force’s B-2 Bomber carries weapons that include components made at the Kansas City Plant. And now it’s not just the payload, but the aircraft themselves that contain parts made at the Kansas City Plant.

When the original supplier’s facility shut down last July, they had to scramble to find another facility to produce a proprietary design high-voltage power supply for CRTs in the cockpit of the B-2. Unable to find a commercial supplier capable of performing the work, they turned to the KCP, which is known for high-quality, low-volume work. 

These units power eight CRTs in the cockpit of each B-2 aircraft. The plane’s missions are typically more than 30 hours, which puts a lot of stress on the high-voltage components. As a result, the Air Force needs about four new units per month to keep 20 B-2s flying.

From the time KCP got the work in August, they were able to set up the operation, work through material issues, and ship the first qualification part the following January. It is not overstating the case to say that, without these power supplies, the B-2s are grounded.

KCP’s level of technical expertise makes them one of the few entities in the world that is capable of successfully manufacturing the B-2 High Voltage Power Supply. The rigor and results being demonstrated have resulted in a second order for an additional 48 High Voltage Power Supplies.