B-2 stealth bombers: Inside the $2 billion jet that flew across the world to strike Iran's top nuclear sites
The B-2 stealth bombers that attacked the Fordow nuclear enrichment plant of Iran are equipped with microwaves, restrooms and usually a cooler for snacks to make life easier for pilots who were stuck in the cockpit for the 36-hour trip from Missouri to Iran and back.
The fleet of cutting-edge American bombers was originally designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union.
On Friday, the aircraft took off from the Whiteman Air Force Base outside Kansas City for an 18-hour ride across the world, refuelling several times in mid-air, officials told The New York Post.
To make the long trips comfortable, the high-tech bombers have their cockpits outfitted with mini refrigerators and a microwave oven to keep their crew fed and alert. The B-2 Spirit also has a restroom, similar to planes equipped for long-haul flights.
There's also enough room for one pilot to lie down and rest while the other flies the batwing jet.
The B-2 was launched in 1997, and each one costs more than $2 billion. The US Air Force has a fleet of 19, after losing one in a crash in 2008.
According to the New York Post, the bomber, which has a wingspan of 172 feet and a crew of just two pilots, relies on automation to help complete long-haul flights.
The seven B-2 bombers deployed for operation 'Midnight Hammer' flew in complete radio silence, with their two-man crews taking turns sleeping during the tense night.
The 37 hours spent attacking Fordow marked the longest B-2 bomber mission since the initial American assault on Afghanistan following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks.
Fordow is Iran's most important nuclear enrichment facility.'There is not another (sic) military in the world that could have done this,' President Trump wrote on Truth Social while revealing the attack on Iran.
The New York Post reported that pilots of such aircraft are trained to endure long, gruelling flights, with past crews bringing cots aboard or even full camping pads.
A fleet of fighter jets and support aircraft was deployed to meet up with the B-2s as they approached Iran.
'The B-2s linked up with escort and support aircraft in a complex, tightly timed manoeuvre requiring exact synchronisation across multiple platforms in a narrow piece of airspace, all done with minimal communications,' Gen Daniel Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the New York Post.
The 25-minute operation inside Iran began on Saturday at 6:40 PM ET, with a lead B-2 bomber dropping two GBU-57 'bunker buster' munitions on the 'first of several aim points at Fordow,' Caine said.
It marked the first time that the US used the massive, 15-ton GBU-57 bunker buster bombs in a military attack, the report said.
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India.com
2 hours ago
- India.com
Meet B-2 stealth bombers that destroyed 3 nuclear plants in Iran has Microwave, toilet, refrigerator, each flight costs..., can travel...
The B-2 stealth bomber is the world's most expensive warplane. (File) New Delhi: Amid the escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, the United States on Saturday night joined Israel's airstrike and launched brutal attacks on Iran's nuclear sites. According to the reports, seven B-2 bombers were deployed for Operation Midnight Hammer to destroy Iran's nuclear plants. They took off from the Whiteman Air Force Base outside Kansas City on Friday and flew 18 hours to enter Iran. After demolishing their targets, the B-2s were on their way back home, unattached. The bombers refuelled several times mid-air, and as they are stealth bombers, they were virtually invisible to Oranian radar. B-2 bombers are equipped for such long-haul flights. There is enough room for one pilot to lie down while the other flies the plane. There is a toilet, a refrigerator and a microwave for snacks. All You Need To Know About B-2 Spirit: The B-2 Spirit is built by Northrop Grumman. The B-2 Spirit can carry both conventional and nuclear weapons. The B-2 Spirit has range of over 6,000 nautical miles and in-air refueling capability The B-2 can strike heavily fortified targets such as nuclear sites. It can carry up to 40,000 pounds of bombs, including the GBU-57A/B. `The B-2 can also carry other bombs such as JDAMs, JSOWs, and JASSMs, making it suitable for a wide variety of missions. This combat aircraft is a vital part of America's nuclear defense, capable of carrying up to 16 B83 nuclear bombs. The B-2 is specially designed for stealth, secure, and flexible missions while evading radar detection, which makes it a significant player in the Pacific region. One B-2 costs around USD 2.1 billion, making it one of the most expensive military aircraft in the world. Along with the B-2 bombers, four Boeing KC-46 Pegasus refueling aircraft were also seen, two of which refueled the bombers over the Pacific Ocean. A report by Fox News speculates that the bombers were likely allowed to fly without heavy fuel tanks, as they were carrying a substantial payload, which could include bunker-buster bombs.
Mint
6 hours ago
- Mint
B-2 stealth bombers: Inside the $2 billion jet that flew across the world to strike Iran's top nuclear sites
The B-2 stealth bombers that attacked the Fordow nuclear enrichment plant of Iran are equipped with microwaves, restrooms and usually a cooler for snacks to make life easier for pilots who were stuck in the cockpit for the 36-hour trip from Missouri to Iran and back. The fleet of cutting-edge American bombers was originally designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union. On Friday, the aircraft took off from the Whiteman Air Force Base outside Kansas City for an 18-hour ride across the world, refuelling several times in mid-air, officials told The New York Post. To make the long trips comfortable, the high-tech bombers have their cockpits outfitted with mini refrigerators and a microwave oven to keep their crew fed and alert. The B-2 Spirit also has a restroom, similar to planes equipped for long-haul flights. There's also enough room for one pilot to lie down and rest while the other flies the batwing jet. The B-2 was launched in 1997, and each one costs more than $2 billion. The US Air Force has a fleet of 19, after losing one in a crash in 2008. According to the New York Post, the bomber, which has a wingspan of 172 feet and a crew of just two pilots, relies on automation to help complete long-haul flights. The seven B-2 bombers deployed for operation 'Midnight Hammer' flew in complete radio silence, with their two-man crews taking turns sleeping during the tense night. The 37 hours spent attacking Fordow marked the longest B-2 bomber mission since the initial American assault on Afghanistan following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks. Fordow is Iran's most important nuclear enrichment facility.'There is not another (sic) military in the world that could have done this,' President Trump wrote on Truth Social while revealing the attack on Iran. The New York Post reported that pilots of such aircraft are trained to endure long, gruelling flights, with past crews bringing cots aboard or even full camping pads. A fleet of fighter jets and support aircraft was deployed to meet up with the B-2s as they approached Iran. 'The B-2s linked up with escort and support aircraft in a complex, tightly timed manoeuvre requiring exact synchronisation across multiple platforms in a narrow piece of airspace, all done with minimal communications,' Gen Daniel Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the New York Post. The 25-minute operation inside Iran began on Saturday at 6:40 PM ET, with a lead B-2 bomber dropping two GBU-57 'bunker buster' munitions on the 'first of several aim points at Fordow,' Caine said. It marked the first time that the US used the massive, 15-ton GBU-57 bunker buster bombs in a military attack, the report said.
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
B-2 bombers involved in US strike on Iran nuclear facilities return to Missouri Air Force base
The B-2 stealth bombers that dropped massive bunker-buster bombs on Iranian nuclear facilities began returning to their U.S. base in Missouri on Sunday. An Associated Press journalist watched on a clear but windy afternoon as seven of the B-2 Spirit bombers came in for landing at Whiteman Air Force Base. The base, about 73 miles (117 kilometers) southeast of Kansas City, is home to the 509th Bomb Wing, the only U.S. military unit that operates the B-2 Spirit bombers. The first group of four of the stealth aircraft did a loop around the base before approaching a runway from the north, while a final group of three arrived within 10 minutes. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The 2025 Outlander Is Close To Perfection (Take A Look) SearchTopics | Search Ads Learn More Undo The day before, the B-2s had been part of a wide-ranging plan involving deception and decoys to deliver what American military leaders believe is a knockout blow to a nuclear program that Israel views as an existential threat and has been pummeling for more than a week. According to U.S. officials, one group of the stealth aircraft headed west from the base in the U.S. heartland on Saturday, intended as a decoy to throw off the Iranians. Live Events Another flight of seven quietly flew off eastward, ultimately engaging in the Iran mission. Aided by an armada of refueling tankers and fighter jets - some of which launched their own weapons - U.S. pilots dropped 14 30,000-pound bombs early Sunday local time on two key underground uranium enrichment plants in Iran. American sailors bolstered the surprise mission by firing dozens of cruise missiles from a submarine toward at least one other site. U.S. officials said Iran neither detected the inbound fusillade, nor mustered a shot at the stealthy American jets. Dubbed Operation Midnight Hammer , the mission carried out a "precision strike" that "devastated the Iranian nuclear program," U.S. officials said, even as they acknowledged an assessment was ongoing. For its part, Iran denied that any significant damage had been done, and the Islamic Republic pledged to retaliate.
