AV-1 was never subjected to stress testing. It was the first flying
prototype. It was rolled out in 1987 and used to validate initial flying
qualities. It is easy to spot in pictures because it was grey with black
leading edges before the refurb, not black all over as is the operational
fleet.

Do you understand the difference between a Nyquist shake and stress testing?
I expect not, but such a shake produces a nice mathematical model of the
airframe. Using those methods, the breaking point is completely
predictable.

I am not a structures guy nor do I claim to be other than having had several
college level courses in finite element analysis studying for my degree in
aerospace engneering.. Do I need to know Nyquist to manage projects on a
major weapon system acquisition program?

This must be the beginning of the" if you can't dazzle them with brilliance,
baffle them with bull****" phase of the discussion.

So far you have talked about stress testing of the iron bird and of AV-1,
neither of which happened. What does this have to do with anything, especially
with the configuration of the 21 operational B-2s and the evolution of the
fleet which I thought was the subject at hand?

Oh well, this is all very entertaining just seeing what you can come upt with
in a legitmate discussion but I have to go now, John.